Fire
by Sherlocked95
Summary: AU Modern: when Arthur goes to a seedy bar to drink away his anger at his father, he never expected to anger the gorgeous bartender. Neither did he expect to spend the night with the bartender...and end up falling for a man who insists on being friends only. But he's Arthur Pendragon: what he wants, he gets. And he wants Merlin. Merthur slash. M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

_Fuck Uther._

_Fuck Morgana._

_Fuck Leon._

_Fuck all of them, they're all a bunch of tossers anyway. _

A vicious smile twisted his lips as he stormed into the seedy bar. He planned on getting very, very drunk. Not the best revenge, maybe, but it would still piss his father and sister off enough to mollify him, just a little. Especially Morgana, since she couldn't drink, not after the Incident. And if he got drunk enough to do something stupid and embarrass his tyrant father, all the better. Maybe Morgana would stop being such a bitch if she wasn't the only Family Embarrassment.

And as for fucking _Leon_ the bloody traitor, well, he already had several plans to get his own back on that particular SOB.

_Bastard, siding with bloody Morgana over me, I swear to God -._

His furious thoughts halted when he met a pair of large blue eyes from across the room. He blinked, going still. _Oh_.

Slowly, the anger fading from his system, he looked the guy up and down. He looked barely old enough to be in a place like this. About nineteen, at the oldest, and, frankly, adorable. He was tall and skinny, _lanky_, and he wasn't typically attractive. But there was a certain geeky, gorgeous quality to him that Arthur liked. And those _cheekbones_, damn, he could carve ice on them. He took in the mop of black hair and the blue eyes, the dark skinny jeans, blue long sleeved T-shirt and, oddly enough, a red neckerchief, and decided: _yep, I'm screwing him tonight_.

He thought of Uther's face once he realised tomorrow that his precious son had yet again fucked a _man_ and smirked. It was a slightly petty course of action, simply doing it to spite Uther, but the fact that the boy was definitely screwable was a bonus.

A loud clatter sounded beneath the loud bass of the music and he chuckled once he realised the cause of it. The guy had tripped over thin air and caused a guy to drop his drinks. A blush painted those perfect cheekbones – _oh_, and _that_ was an enjoyable sight – and he gave a self depreciating chuckle, offering the guy money to replace the drinks.

A shoulder bumped into his, hard, and Arthur realised he was still stood just in the entrance of the bar. He moved aside, letting the annoyed man barge past, and sought out the guy again. He was nowhere to be seen. _Damn_.

Dejected, his earlier rage towards his family returning, Arthur made his way to the bar, squeezing into a space between a group of overly-drunk women and a couple lost in one another's mouths. A scrawny, scruffy looking guy glanced up at him, waiting for his order.

"Whisky, neat," he demanded.

He nodded and turned his back to get the drink. Arthur glanced over his shoulder, taking in the crowded dance floor and filled booths, and realised with annoyance that he'd have to stay at the bar, stuck between the groping couple and too loud, too shrill group of women. If he wasn't determined to get truly wasted and forget all the fuckery with his family, he would have left and found somewhere...well, quieter.

The bartender turned back to him, stumbled, and ended up sloshing the whisky over the side of the glass and onto Arthur's sleeve.

He stared at the large stain on the white silk for a long moment. Really, he shouldn't have been so angry about it. It was an accident. Just a stain. But _fuck_, he was already full of rage thanks to the joke of a day and his vindictive sister, and that shirt had been an expensive, irreplaceable gift from someone special.

Before he even realised how _really damn furious_ he was, he'd grabbed the bartender by the collar of his ratty black shirt and had him pinned against the bar, choking off his apologies.

"Do you have any fucking idea how much this cost?" he demanded coldly. "It is worth _a hundred _of you, you tosser."

"I-I'm sorry, really, I..."

Arthur didn't care for his apologies. He didn't release the bartender. He was contemplating what to do with the waster when he realised that there was someone else behind the bar now, their hand on Arthur's elbow.

"I think that is enough, my friend," a calm voice interrupted the confrontation.

Arthur turned incredulously to look at the person who'd dared intercede, his rage faltering slightly when he realised it was _the guy_. The guy with the strange neckerchief and the cheekbones. He looked calm and friendly enough, but Arthur caught the concerned look he shot at the panicking bartender.

"Do you know who I am?" Arthur asked, voice carefully calm as he slowly released the bartender.

"Well, no," he looked surprised by the question.

Arthur sneered. "Yet you call me _friend_?"

"It was just an expression, one I didn't mean," his tone and expression were like ice. "I hope this covers the bill for getting your shirt cleaned."

He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and thrust a few notes onto the bar in front of Arthur. It wasn't much – definitely not enough to cover the cost of cleaning the shirt – but Arthur didn't say anything. He knew the gesture wasn't one of generosity on the guy's part; it was designed to show Arthur up as even more of a wanker. And it worked.

"Look, I..." Arthur scratched the back of his neck, ashamed.

"I suggest you leave," the guy interrupted. "And don't come back."

Arthur looked between the red faced, frightened bartender and the boy, who looked back coldly. He couldn't help but think how hot he looked when he was angry. He glanced at the money on the bar. It was a meagre amount and Arthur didn't need it; he had more than enough money to cover the cost of the shirt. But if he refused to take it, he'd just look like an ungrateful prick. So he pocketed the money and turned to leave, aware that the bouncer would probably be on his way soon to kick him out.

"Prat."

Arthur turned back, looking at the man in surprise. "_What_?"

"I called you a prat."

Anything could have come out of Arthur's mouth – threats, insults, swear words – but instead what he blurted out was, "Are you busy tomorrow night?"

Blue eyes stared at him incredulously for a moment, and then the guy scoffed, shaking his head slightly in amusement. Not the good kind of amusement. The kind of amusement where he clearly thought Arthur was a tosser and there was no way he'd go on a date with him.

"Is there a problem here, Merlin?"

Arthur turned slightly at the sound of a deep, Irish accented voice. _Ah_, the bouncer. He was about the same height as Arthur and around the same size, but he was sure he'd be able to take him if he decided to rough Arthur up a little outside.

"Merlin?" the bouncer repeated.

"No," the guy shook his head. "He's just leaving."

Ah, so his name was Merlin. _Cute_. Arthur didn't miss how Merlin's tone and expression softened with affection as he answered the bouncer, and he appraised him with different intentions. Damn, he was attractive; dark hair, stubble, mischievous eyes and a _fucking Irish accent_. And Arthur had already made a bad impression on Merlin. Well, if he even wanted a chance, he'd have to make amends.

He turned to the bartender, giving his most sincere smile. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. Bad day, you know? Shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Time to go, mate," the bouncer announced loudly.

_Fuck it_ _all_.

Arthur looked at Merlin, but his attention was now on the clamour of customers demanding drinks. With an irritated sigh, Arthur turned his back and allowed the bouncer to lead him out of the bar. He didn't rough him up outside, he simply gave an amused shake of his head as Arthur walked away.

He ended up at three other bars throughout the night and went home completely trashed...and alone. He'd flirted, he'd pulled, and he'd rejected when the image of blue eyes in his mind stopped him from going for more than a grope. And it was blue eyes that were fixed in his mind that night when he relieved himself.

** 0**

"_**Arthur**_!"

He groaned, burying his face against the pillow. Maybe, if he was lucky, he'd end up smothering himself. The wrath of his family and the hideous hangover were too much to deal with.

"Get the fuck up."

_Oh joy,_ Morgana was today's trespasser. He ignored her, pulling the duvet over his head. He didn't want to deal with his sister. Ever.

"It's your own fault if you're hungover," she said ruthlessly.

Arthur rolled onto his back and peered over the top of his duvet. The light made him groan, his head pounding horribly. His mouth and throat were dry and he felt like he was going to throw up. Morgana stood at the foot of his bed, hands on her hips. She hadn't bothered to look nice for the visit; she'd dressed sloppily in a black dress, hoodie and boots, her black hair a tangled mess around her beautiful face. She had, however, made time to apply the usual eyeliner around her green cat eyes.

"Who's that?" Arthur pointed to where a girl lingered awkwardly in the hallway. "Your latest conquest?"

"No," Morgana snorted. "I wish. No, that is Elena. The girl father wishes for you to date."

Elena was young and beautiful; tall, slender, pale with blonde, curly hair, warm eyes and delicate features. She was the perfect bride and had a soft, sweet, caring personality. She was also the daughter of a wealthy, influential corporate tosser who Uther wanted align businesses with, hence his determination that his son should marry the girl.

He doubted Elena particularly wanted to marry him, either, but she was too quiet and sweet to go against her father's wishes. But Arthur had seen how her pupils dilated the first time she saw Morgana, the way she's gravitated towards her and glanced repeatedly at her lips as they spoke. Yeah, he _really _doubted she wanted _Arthur_.

"Why did you bring her here?" Arthur demanded.

"Uther," she replied simply.

He sighed. "I bet you fifty that you can't get in her pants."

Morgana slowly smiled, not fooled for a second. "Palming her off to me to get out of it? Nice."

"But you like her," he pointed out. "And she likes you."

Morgana hesitated. "You sure?"

"Definitely."

"Sometimes, brother dearest, I do love you."

His sister was a grade A bitch and he spent 95% of the time loathing her. But he still smiled fondly as she ducked out of his room, a sultry smile fixed on her face as she approached Elena.

"No fucking in my flat," he warned.

He heard the sound of the front door slam and sighed in relief. He may have been happy to matchmake Elena and Morgana – mostly to avoid having to court the girl himself – but the thought of having to be in the same building as his sister while she was flirting gave him the shudders.

He dragged his tired, aching body out of bed and made his way into the kitchen. He needed painkillers, water and coffee. As he prepared the coffee, the rich smell of roasted coffee beans staining the air, his mind drifted to the night before. More specifically, to a clumsy, gorgeous man with ridiculous cheekbones and playful blue eyes. _Merlin_.

He groaned in embarrassment as he remembered his stupid behaviour. Yeah, he _really _hadn't made a good impression on the gorgeous bartender. He'd have to make amends for that. Because he'd planned on screwing Merlin last night and he hated to have his plans ruined.

** 0**

"You're barred."

Arthur rolled his eyes at Merlin. "I didn't come to make trouble."

"I don't give a shit. You frightened Jack half to death. You're barred."

Arthur didn't say anything. He merely gazed at Merlin as he prepared a customer's drink with calm efficiency, his movements oddly graceful despite the clumsiness Arthur had witnessed from the bartender last night. He was tall and all gangly, awkward limbs. It was strangely endearing.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Merlin glanced at Arthur's expensive jacket with a scoff.

The bar was a seedy, grimy place deep in the tawdry underbelly of London, the place of the homeless, the junkies and the poor. He knew the fact that someone as obviously rich as Arthur would dare visit a place like this pissed Merlin off. Money issues or issues with the _people_ with money?

"Last night I was here to get drunk," Arthur answered honestly, leaning forward with a smile. "Tonight I'm here to see _you_."

Merlin turned his back on him. Arthur sighed in exasperation. Honestly, why was he even bothering? There were plenty of other – more attractive – people out that he could take home for a one night stand. Why did it have to be _Merlin_?

"What time do you get off work?"

Merlin paused before answering, "One."

"I'll meet you outside."

He didn't wait for Merlin's response, instead quickly slipping out of the bar with a cheeky nod to the bouncer.

** 0**

He didn't really expect Merlin to show up, so he was surprised when the young man left the bar at ten past one and headed directly towards him instead of ignoring him. Maybe he hadn't made as bad an impression as he'd originally thought.

Tonight Merlin wore dark jeans, scuffed – obviously old and worn – sneakers, a red shirt, neckerchief and a leather jacket. The jacket tipped the outfit from average and not very impressive to strangely sexy.

"I didn't think you'd turn up."

"Yeah, well," Merlin shrugged. "You seemed stubborn. You have the rest of the night to impress me."

Arthur chuckled and leaned in to say quietly, his voice low in the young bartender's ear, "Trust me, I have _every _intention of impressing you."

They went for drinks, they chatted, they flirted, they learnt very little about one another, and then ended up at Arthur's.

That was how Merlin ended up in Arthur's bed, his hands tangled in the sheets and his head thrown back, strangled groans escaping him as Arthur sucked him harder, bringing him closer to his climax. It didn't take long. Arthur knew that he was good at it and he smirked as Merlin shouted loudly, his hips tilting off the mattress. And then Arthur was inside him and their pants and groans mingled, both lost in a blur of heat and pleasure, until they both collapsed side by side on the bed, gasping for breath.

Arthur fell asleep curled around Merlin, a satisfied smile on his lips. He'd wanted Merlin in his bed and he always got what he wanted.

**TBC**

* * *

**Hi! *waves* **

**Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it :D More will be posted soon; I have a full length story planned out. I go to Berlin for a week on Monday but I will post again as soon as I return. **

**'Fire is a temporary title until I can think of a better one.**

**Please review?**

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**(I'm not great with tumblr, so if you happen to be amazing and follow me, please bear with me) **


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: Berlin was very cold but brilliant. Thank you for the reviews! This is completely unedited so any errors are the result of my own idiocy. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.**

* * *

He woke to the smell of bacon. He groaned, sleep quickly slipping away as his mouth watered. He glanced at the clock; almost seven in the morning.

_Jesus Christ, what normal person is up this early?_

He stretched, smiling languidly as a delicious ache settled over his body. He was exhausted in a good way. Last night had been...well, pretty fucking _brilliant_, actually. Merlin, despite his geeky, almost boyish charisma, was deceptively skilled in bed.

He reluctantly got up and searched his bedroom for his clothes – at some point their clothes had been tossed haphazardly around the room – until he found his boxers (caught on the corner of the bathroom door). He pulled them on and tugged on his shirt before following the smell of bacon to his kitchen.

Merlin stood, dressed in only his tight boxers, his chest bare, at the stove. He flipped bacon in the pan and glanced at Arthur over his shoulder.

"Morning, princess," he greeted flippantly.

"Morning," he sat at the table, eyeing Merlin speculatively. "Doesn't that hurt?" he nodded to his bare chest.

Merlin glanced down as the pan spat oil at his chest, leaving tiny burns, almost in surprise. After a moment he shrugged and switched the stove off. He plated the bacon and put it in front of him.

"Do you have any cereal?"

Arthur looked up at him, confused. "Aren't you eating this?"

He looked at the bacon with distaste. "I don't really eat much, especially not in the mornings."

Arthur could have guessed that. He was a scrawny guy, although as he'd discovered last night, surprisingly strong and supple. The unhealthy skinny frame concealed lean muscles. He eyed the bony frame appreciatively, remembering how it had felt beneath his fingers.

"There should be some cereal in the bottom drawer," he answered.

He didn't really eat cereal, but he was pretty sure there was a box of Coco Pops left over from Morgana's last visit. She had an odd obsession for the disgusting chocolate cereal. Merlin found the box, poured himself a small bowl, and sat at the table opposite Arthur. They ate in silence for a few minutes, but it wasn't uncomfortable. To Arthur's surprise, it was...nice.

"So," he cleared his throat, setting his fork down. "Last night was..."

"Mindblowing?" Merlin offered with a smirk.

"I was going to go with fucking incredible, but that works too," Arthur admitted, blushing. "Do you often make breakfast for your conquests?"

"As a rule, yeah," the skinny guy shrugged. "They spent the night screwing me, the least I can do is cook them breakfast."

Arthur winced at the crassness of Merlin's answer. And he thought _he _could be bold sometimes. A question he hadn't thought to ask before popped into his mind.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty three," he answered. "Why?"

Bloody hell, he was only two years younger than him. He only looked about nineteen.

"You look a lot younger."

"I get that a lot."

A loud buzzing noise interrupted their conversation and Arthur glanced at the brick of a phone on the table by Merlin. It wasn't really _old_, but it was definitely an outdated model by his terms. His own sleek phone-cum-mini-tablet was on the worktop to his right. The phone had to be pretty old too, possibly secondhand. It looked like it had been through Hell and back. But then again, with Merlin's clumsiness, it wasn't much of a surprise.

"Yeah?" Merlin answered, chewing a spoonful of soggy cereal. "Yes, I'm fine. Yes. What do you think? Yes, Will. I'll be back in about half an hour."

_Will_?

Merlin hung up and dropped the phone back onto the table. He finished his cereal in record time and got to his feet.

"You're leaving?" Arthur asked in surprise.

Merlin gave him an indulgent smile. "What did you expect?"

Actually, he wasn't sure _what _he expected. Normally, he expected his one night stands to be long gone by the time he woke up. He didn't like sharing his bed for the night. He tended to be annoyed if they lingered and tried to politely (and often not so politely) get them to leave as quickly as possible. But Merlin was, inexplicably, _different_.

Merlin emerged from the bedroom fully dressed. He pocketed his keys and paused by Arthur.

"Thanks. See you around."

It was the most insincere, emotionally lacking sentiment Arthur had ever heard, and he winced as he recalled saying it many times to former one night stands when he finally got rid of them.

Before he even had chance to say anything in response, Merlin was gone.

** 0**

Arthur found himself pacing his flat. He shouldn't be disappointed, he really shouldn't. He'd wanted a one night stand with Merlin and he'd succeeded. So why did he now feel slightly unhappy that Merlin had just _left_. He should have been glad. He'd screwed, he'd been cooked breakfast, and the lover had left at a time that would normally appease him. Yet...it didn't.

He was irritated at himself for feeling so..._stupid_ over one guy over one insignificant (if mindblowing) shag. But on the other hand, he _really _wanted to see Merlin again.

He turned sharply and his gaze fell on a black object on the table. _Merlin's phone_. He'd forgotten it.

A wide smile lit up Arthur's face.

** 0**

"What can I get you?"

Merlin turned to serve the latest customer and blinked in surprise at the familiar face. Arthur offered a cheeky smirk.

"You left this at mine," he held out the phone.

Relief showed on the young man's face. "Thanks." He pocketed the device.

"I programmed my number into it."

Merlin looked up at him, a small furrow between his brows. After a long moment of awkward silence he spoke, clearly picking his words carefully to avoid offending Arthur.

"Arthur...last night...it was just a one night stand, you know that, right?"

"Yes," he leaned in, grinning wickedly. "But what if I want it to be more?"

"When I said 'see you around', I didn't really mean it."

_Ouch_, Arthur thought. _Clearly no longer worried about offending me_.

"I'm not fucking proposing, Merlin, I'm just asking for one date."

"I don't date."

"Neither do I. Until now."

And it should have worried him that one night with Merlin suddenly had him wanting to do _more_, to date. He'd dated before, of course, but it never really lead to anything serious. It was just fooling around. Once he started university he started up the habit of having casual one night stands with strangers he'd never see again. It meant sex without the stuff that happened after, like annoying relationships with people he wasn't really into. He wasn't a _relationship _type of person. Plus it pissed his father off immensely, especially as his one night stands were _men_. He'd never forgiven Arthur for being gay...so of course, he liked to remind his father of his preference to screw blokes as much as he could.

But now, he wanted nothing more than to take Merlin on a date. Of course, it might not lead anywhere. It could just end up in more fooling around, which he was game for. But still...it might end up with _something_, and he wanted it. And what he wanted he _always _got.

Merlin turned away from him to serve other customers. Arthur released a sigh, irritated. Bloody hell, it was just _one _date. Last night proved that Merlin was attracted to him. Would one evening in one another's presence be so repulsive to the young man?

Arthur was onto his second drink, aware he was sulking but not giving a shit, when Merlin appeared beside him. He leaned in, breath against his ear, and Arthur shivered pleasantly.

"Fine, one date," he murmured, his voice low. "Saturday. I finish my shift here at ten."

Arthur turned around but the young man was already making his way towards the exit, his leather jacket gleaming under the pulsing lights of the bar. He watched him leave, a smirk on his face.

_What he wanted, he __**always **__got_.

And he wanted Merlin.

** 0**

"Uther knows."

Arthur didn't glance up at Morgana as she strode into the room, black hair bouncing against her shoulders.

"About what?"

"Elena," she clarified. "He knows that you palmed her off on me. Her father's whisked her off and Uther is pissed off. He wants to see you."

"I'm sure he'll send one of his minions to fetch me," he murmured.

"You look nervous. Why are you nervous?"

He sighed. Morgana may be irritating, but she was very shrewd. There was no point lying to her; she'd only wheedle and whine and find out eventually anyway.

"I have a date."

She snorted. "_You_? Have a date?"

He didn't grace her scepticism with a response, instead sliding a mug of coffee across the counter towards her. She accepted it with a small smile of gratitude.

"Yes, in half an hour. His name is Merlin."

"Merlin? Cute." She eyed him from a moment. "Is this a date where you're hoping to get laid, or...?"

"It's..." Arthur hesitated before admitting, "Hopefully it's more than that."

Although sex _would _be a definite bonus.

"Aww," Morgana smirked, pinching his cheek sharply. "How adorable."

"Piss off, Morgan."

She rolled her eyes and got to her feet. "Do try to appease father soon. He's unbearable when he's all pissy."

Arthur ignored her, waiting until he heard the door bang shut behind her before sighing, burying his face in his hands. _Bloody Uther_. He was already angry. He'd be positively furious if he found out Arthur was going on a date. With a man.

A sudden rage swelled in Arthur's chest. It was just _so fucking unfair_. He banged his fist against the table and almost – _almost_ – backed out of the date. But doing so meant he'd be letting Uther control his life and he'd promised himself long ago that he wouldn't let that happen again. No matter what the consequences.

Besides, Merlin was just too cute to throw away simply because of Uther's outdated prejudices.

Twenty minutes later, he studied his reflection in the mirror. He'd chosen on artfully worn jeans, a black shirt and an expensive, tastefully cut brown leather jacket. He knew his clothes – and his car – would scream _rich_, but Merlin had already stayed at his flat. He'd probably already figured that Arthur was wealthy. He didn't seem to be weary of it, not yet, at least.

He waited for Merlin outside the bar. The bouncer kept his gaze on him the whole time, but there was a small smile on his lips, as if Arthur amused him. It irritated him. He wanted to wipe the insolent smile of the man's face, but he knew doing so would piss of Merlin and he wasn't about to erase all the work he'd done to get this date.

Merlin appeared at about twenty past ten, looking tired. He wore black skinny jeans, a dark blue shirt, worn sneakers and his black leather jacket. His dark hair contrasted nicely with his pale complexion and sharp cheekbones. Arthur's stomach flipped pleasantly and he rolled his eyes. Jeez, Merlin was turning him into a fucking teenage girl.

The bouncer stopped Merlin with a hand on his elbow, leaning in to talk to him quietly. A frown appeared on Merlin's face as he snapped something back, yanking his arm free. Arthur watched the interaction with wary curiosity. By the way the bouncer glared at him before saying something else to Merlin, he knew whatever the disagreement was it was about him. Merlin shook his head and left the bouncer, approaching Arthur.

"Hey," Merlin greeted, his voice quiet. He'd clearly been shouting a lot and it added a rough, husky quality to his voice that Arthur liked. A lot.

"Hi," Arthur gave him a bright smile. "Ready?"

"Where are we going?" the young man asked, eyeing Arthur's expensive but relatively casual clothing.

"Nowhere special," he replied casually. "I didn't think you'd appreciate an expensive restaurant."

He expected Merlin to react badly to Arthur's assumption of what he would and wouldn't appreciate, but instead his companion merely nodded and gestured for Arthur to lead the way. Arthur glanced back at the clearly disgruntled bouncer and then around the car park.

"Where's your car?"

Merlin shrugged. "I don't have one."

Arthur looked at him, surprised. "You don't have a car? So you just walk everywhere?"

Merlin glanced at him, an eyebrow quirking up in amusement. "I catch the bus."

Arthur immediately felt like a complete idiot. "Oh. Right."

There was a small smirk on Merlin's face that Arthur found both infuriating and incredibly sexy. He felt his own lips twitch up in response and the tension between them eased a little. He stopped beside his car, aware that Merlin was silently assessing it, but he didn't receive a comment from his companion as they climbed inside. Arthur twitched in irritation, wishing he knew what Merlin thought about Arthur being wealthy. Did it bother him?

He took them to a small, cosy restaurant just on the outskirts of the main centre of the city. He parked and held the door to the restaurant open for Merlin. It was a place he often took his dates when he didn't want his father to interfere. It was out of the way enough that it'd be unlikely he'd get caught.

A hostess sat them at a table in the corner with a beautiful view of a park. Arthur watched Merlin as he peeled off his old leather jacket and sat down. The shirt was short sleeved and showed off the lean muscles in Merlin's wiry frame. He remembered the sensation of those muscles rippling under his fingertips and took a deep breath, reminding himself that tonight wasn't about sex.

They ordered drinks and Merlin tried to conceal a yawn, his eyes hooded with obvious exhaustion. He looked just as weary as tired and Arthur leaned forward with a soft smile.

"Rough night?"

Merlin laughed. "You could say that."

Arthur studied him for a moment before remarking, "You haven't asked what I do for a living."

"Arthur Pendragon, right?" Merlin replied, his gaze flicking over the menu. "I assume you work for your father at Pendragon Enterprises."

Arthur stared at the man in front of him, surprised. Merlin had worked out who he was without even mentioning it? Interesting.

"I'm training to take over the company," he clarified. "Does that bother you?"

Merlin looked up at him, one eyebrow raised. "Why would it? You work for your money just like everyone else."

Put like that, Arthur felt like an idiot for worrying what Merlin might think about his status. He scratched the back of his neck, searching for something to get a conversation going.

"So...any family?" he asked after a few minutes.

It was an odd question so early on in the date, but he was curious. He didn't know Merlin yet but he got the impression he was a bit of a recluse. He had friends – the other bartender and the bouncer, for example – but the idea of him having family seemed a little alien to Arthur.

"None that I speak to," Merlin replied smoothly. "You?"

"You already know about my father," Arthur tilted his head. "My mother died when I was a child. I have a sister, Morgana, and an uncle. That's it."

Merlin nodded but didn't have chance to say anything as a waitress came over. They ordered their food and settled back in their seats, gazing at one another. Arthur scrambled to come up with something to say, something _interesting_.

"So when you're not bartending, what do you get up to?" he inwardly winced at the dull question. "Any hobbies?"

It was a harmless and awfully cliché question for a date but Merlin's eyebrows puckered into a small frown. He spent a long moment thinking through the question before answering carefully,

"I like to read."

_That's it? You __**read**__? _ Arthur stared at the other man incredulously. He had to have _other _interests, even if it was something as terribly boring as train spotting or whatever.

"What about you?" Merlin asked.

He relaxed at the question. "I like to read too. I also enjoy sports, martial arts and photography."

They settled into easy conversation. Arthur was aware that though he was giving a lot of details about his own life away he wasn't receiving much knowledge about his date, even though Merlin avoided it in subtle, clever ways. He refused to let it unnerve him and focused on keeping the date running smoothly.

There was no awkwardness when it came to paying. Merlin calmly paid for the drinks and the tips and let Arthur pay for the meal. He grinned, pleased to finally have a date that wasn't tainted by an argument about who was paying or trying to split the fee evenly between them.

"So," Arthur asked, trying and failing to keep the hope out of his voice, "Where to?"

Merlin was quiet for a moment before answering, "Back to the bar."

"You said you didn't have a car."

"Gwaine's giving me a lift home."

"I can do it," Arthur offered. "I don't mind."

"I already arranged it."

"Alright," Arthur whistled under his breath, starting the engine. _Weird_.

He pulled into the car park and got out, circling round to meet Merlin as he clambered out, tripping slightly. Arthur smiled at the display of clumsiness and tilted his head to the side, stepping closer.

"So," he murmured. "Was the date as awful as you thought it'd be?"

"It was good," Merlin answered. "It was worth it."

"I'm glad."

He leaned in and captured Merlin's lips with his own, keeping the kiss slow and soft. Merlin responded immediately, one hand resting on his shoulder while the other curled around the nape of his neck, pulling him so their bodies pressed together. He parted his lips and Arthur took full advantage, deepening the kiss and eliciting a breathless sound from Merlin that encouraged him to touch their tongues.

He felt the stirring of desire tighten his jeans and pulled back before Merlin noticed. He was determined that, unless Merlin initiated it, tonight _wasn't_ going to be about sex.

"Another date?" he asked, his voice low and rough. He licked his swollen lips, tempted to kiss Merlin again.

He noticed Merlin's hesitation before the other man smoothed his expression easily, not allowing Arthur to read any emotion from him.

"Call me, we'll set it up," he murmured. "Goodnight, Arthur."

"Goodnight, Merlin," Arthur gave him another brief kiss.

It was only after Merlin had walked away that he realised he didn't have Merlin's number.

_Well, fuck_.


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur spent three days pondering his next move. He didn't have Merlin's number so he couldn't call him. He considered trying to find Merlin's number through other means but decided that would seem creepy. He thought about turning up at the bar again but knew that would seem equally stalkerish.

He tried finding Merlin on social networking sites but none of the matches were _his _Merlin. This surprised him. He himself rarely used it – he didn't have the time nor the interest in social networking – but he had an account. Most people did these days; it was the norm. It seemed odd that Merlin, a young bartender who clearly had friends, didn't social network at all.

That method out, he thought through his conversations with Merlin, but, infuriatingly, the other man had been good at withholding personal information. Other than _reading _he didn't know any of Merlin's interests or any of the places he liked to go. The library seemed a long shot and he scrapped that idea. Trying to find a way to 'accidentally' bump into Merlin was useless.

He thought about the bouncer. Maybe he could ask him about Merlin. But that meant doing the whole stalker thing and turning up at the bar yet again. And just like that, he was back to square fucking one.

By the fourth day, he'd resigned himself to the fact that whatever fleeting _thing_ he'd had with Merlin – he wasn't even sure _what _it had been other than a total mindfuck – was well and truly over. He wouldn't be hearing from Merlin again.

**0**

Two weeks later, Arthur was woken by the obnoxious shrill of his phone ringing. He groaned, rolling onto his back and reaching blindly for the phone. He finally found it on his nightstand and winced as the brightness of the screen assaulted his tired eyes. The number was unfamiliar.

He winced when he saw the time. Who called at quarter past three in the fucking morning?

"Yes?" he snapped, throwing his free arm over his eyes.

"Arthur."

His eyes snapped open in the darkness. "Merlin?"

He hadn't expected to hear from the other man again. A mixture of relief and confusion surged through him, closely followed by irritation when he remembered what time it was.

"You're aware that it is gone three in the bloody morning?"

"Is it?" Merlin asked shakily. "Sorry."

Something in the other man's tone made Arthur sit bolt upright, his tiredness gone and replaced by worry. "Merlin? Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Merlin answered absently. "Listen, do you want to meet tomorrow?"

"I can meet right now," Arthur swung his legs out of bed, searching the ground for his jeans. "Just tell me where you are."

Really, it should have concerned him how worried he was about the safety of a man he'd only known for a very short while. The fact that he was willing to drag himself out of his warm bed at such a godforsaken hour of the morning to find Merlin and make sure he was alright should have been alarming, but to Arthur it just felt...natural.

"No, it's fine," Merlin assured him. "I'm home now."

Arthur heard the rattle of keys and a door opening and knew Merlin was telling the truth. He sank back down onto the bed, his heart still beating far too fast.

"Christ, Merlin," he swore under his breath. He wasn't sure why he'd been so panicked. He just knew something hadn't been quite right.

"So, tomorrow?" Merlin urged.

Arthur ran a hand over his face in exhaustion. "Tomorrow? Sure, fine." He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "You're a real headfuck, you know that?"

He probably shouldn't have said that so early on in what he hoped to be a relationship, especially since he'd been pretty certain until now Merlin wouldn't call. But fuck, what had _that _been about?

"Yeah, I know."

Arthur was too tired to notice the slight edge in Merlin's voice. He yawned and rubbed his eyes with one hand.

"I'll meet you at two at Jarvis," he mumbled. "You know it?"

Merlin confirmed that he did and hung up without saying anything further. Arthur stared at his phone blankly for a few minutes, frowning. Finally, he dropped his phone carelessly onto the floor and threw himself back under his covers for warmth.

He was too tired to try and figure out the weirdness of the wiry bartender.

**0**

Arthur waited outside Jarvis' for Merlin. He was ridiculously tired. He'd had a restless sleep after Merlin's phone call and he didn't have the chance for a lie in as he'd had a meeting in the morning. But he was glad of the opportunity to see Merlin again...and hopefully get an answer about the weirdness of the call that morning.

Merlin looked just as exhausted when he arrived but he offered Arthur a genuine smile when he saw him. Arthur felt his own mouth lift into a grin in response. Merlin was too cute for his own good.

Wordlessly, Arthur held the door open for Merlin and they took a small, two seated table in a quiet corner of the coffee shop. Arthur couldn't help but gaze at Merlin's backside as he walked ahead of him. Normally he hated guys who wore skinny jeans but they looked great on Merlin. They fitted his arse perfectly and Arthur couldn't restrain a smug grin as he remembered feeling that gorgeous arse.

He glanced at Merlin's red scarf as they sat down. All the times Arthur had seen him, he always wore it. It looked odd, especially with the rest of Merlin's outfits, but for some reason Arthur couldn't imagine him without it. Why did he wear it all the time?

He thought back to the night they'd spent together. Of course Merlin had removed all clothing then, including the scarf. But Arthur had been a little too drunk and far too interested in what was going on to pay much attention. Had he missed something?

"So..." he raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd call."

"Me neither," Merlin admitted after a moment.

"So why did you?"

Merlin merely settled back in his seat, his posture the picture of ease as he tapped his fingers against his knee. "Because I wanted to."

Arthur was sure there was more to it than that but doubted he'd be able to get an honest answer out of the man in front of him. That realisation alone should have made him rethink his decision to pursue a relationship with Merlin, but he knew it was too late now. Merlin had caught and held his attention.

"That call this morning was...pretty weird."

Merlin cringed slightly. "Sorry. I didn't realise how late – well, early – it was."

The apology was genuine and Arthur relaxed slightly, tilting his head. "Are you going to tell me what it was about?"

"I worried you," Merlin stated simply. "I didn't mean to. I guess it would have seemed weird to you."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

"I'm a bartender, Arthur. I tend to work to the early hours. After my shift last night, Gwaine and I went for a drink. I was pretty drunk and tired when I called you on my way home, but the drink gave me the confidence to ask you out again, so that's a bonus at least..."

Merlin continued his self conscious rambling but Arthur was blinking in surprise, lost to the conversation. Merlin had been nervous about asking him out? But he always seemed to be so self assured. Not arrogant, just at ease with himself and his place in the world. The revelation that behind the self composed image Merlin was just as uncertain as everyone else surprised but pleased Arthur.

Then he went over Merlin's words in his head and couldn't help it when he blurted,

"Gwaine?"

Merlin stopped whatever he'd been rambling about, glancing up at him with a puzzled expression. "What about him?"

"Who's Gwaine?"

"Oh," Merlin blinked, realising Arthur didn't recognise the name. "The bouncer at the bar...the one who kicked you out." He grinned at the memory.

So his name was _Gwaine_. Cute. He shifted slightly in his chair, trying to appear casual as he asked,

"You went out with him?"

"For drinks," Merlin clarified slowly, clearly bemused. "Yes. I'm pretty sure that is what friends do, right?"

He wasn't sure why Arthur was bothered by it and, really, it wasn't his place to be irritated about it. But though he rarely showed it, he'd always been a bit of the jealous type, and Gwaine was pretty damn good looking.

"Were you and Gwaine ever...you know..." he sighed, exasperated with himself, and blurted, "Did you two ever have sex?"

Merlin's expression cooled by several degrees and he gazed at Arthur stoically for a few long, tense moments. Arthur blanched, immediately regretting the question. It really wasn't his place to ask.

"No," Merlin answered honestly. "I don't remain friends with one night stands."

Arthur couldn't help himself from saying, "I'm a one night stand, yet here we are."

"Maybe I don't want to be friends with you."

Arthur inhaled sharply, surprised at how much that hurt, and quickly got to his feet. "Right. Well, I'll just..."

Merlin casually hooked his foot around his calf and tugged, causing Arthur to lose his balance and quickly sit back down in his chair to avoid falling. He glared at the other man.

"I'm not good with words, okay?" Merlin huffed. "I didn't...I didn't mean I don't want to be friends. I meant, I want to be _more_."

Oh. _Oh_. Arthur felt a surge of smug joy at that and grinned at the other man. Merlin rolled his eyes but returned the smile.

"So," Arthur asked casually. "What changed? You told me you don't date."

"You said you don't either," Merlin pointed out. "So what changed _your _mind?"

"You."

Merlin raised an eyebrow as if to say, _exactly_. Before Arthur could continue the line of conversation, a waitress appeared beside them, smiling happily down at them.

"Merlin!" she greeted warmly, bending down to hug him.

"Gwen," he returned the hug and kissed her on the cheek. "It's good to see you back at work. How are you feeling?"

Gwen was beautiful, in a humble, down to earth kind of way. Petite, dark skinned with curly brown hair pinned in a messy bun, graceful features and warm, coffee coloured eyes.

"I'm fine, thank you," she assured Merlin before turning her gaze onto his companion and offering a friendly smile. "Hi! I'm Gwen. I'm Merlin's colleague."

"And friend," Merlin added with a roll of his eyes. "Gwen, I doubt he'll see you as a threat considering I'm here on a date with him. A man."

Gwen blushed and Arthur couldn't help but grin at Merlin, who offered a quick smile back. Then Gwen's words caught up with him and he frowned, puzzled. He withheld his question, however, as they ordered their drinks; a simple black coffee with no sugar for him and a tea with milk and two for Merlin. Gwen scribbled the order down, offered both of them a bright smile, and returned to the counter.

Arthur turned to Merlin. "Colleague?"

"I have three jobs," Merlin clarified. "I work at the bar most evenings and nights. I work here on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and I also work for a small cleaning business every other day."

Arthur mentally clocked all the hours and his eyes widened. "Christ, do you ever _sleep_?"

Merlin laughed. "Rarely."

Arthur stared at the man in front of him. He always thought that _he _had to work too much just to appease his bloody father. More so than any other employee. But Merlin was something else.

How did his body deal with all the work? It must be stuck in perpetual exhaustion.

"Why?" he blurted. "I mean...so much work. And cleaning doesn't sound very glamorous."

A dark eyebrow arched. "We're not all rich, Arthur." There was no accusation in his tone, just a simple explanation. "It may not be glamorous, but it pays the rent. Besides, I like the work."

Arthur snorted. "Bullshit."

"No, really," Merlin insisted. "Well, okay, cleaning isn't that great. But I like being a bartender and barista. It's easy work, pays pretty well and I like to be around people. Plus I like to be busy, so working so much isn't an issue for me. I'd probably be bored otherwise."

Arthur shook his head slowly, incredulous. "You have got to be the weirdest bloke I've ever met."

Merlin merely grinned at him as their drinks arrived. He thanked Gwen and she gave him a wink in return before leaving them to it. Merlin rolled his eyes and Arthur raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"She approves," Merlin muttered. "Of you, I mean."

Arthur grinned and Merlin snorted in response.

"Good luck with the others," at Arthur's expression, he explained, "My friends are pretty protective of me. It might take them a while to warm to you."

Arthur should have been concerned by this, but really he just felt pleased. Merlin intended for Arthur to meet his other friends. _It might take them a while to warm to you_. He couldn't help but grin. Merlin hoped he'd be around for a long time and Arthur definitely intended to be.

When they finished their drinks, Merlin looked down, looking suddenly nervous. It was an endearing look on him and Arthur felt a flutter in his chest.

"Would you like to come back to mine?" he blurted before blushing. "I mean, not for, you know, _that_. Just...well, it occurred to me that I've seen your flat but you haven't seen mine."

"I have to be back at the office shortly," Arthur sighed, wishing he could spend more time with Merlin. "What about tomorrow? I don't have work."

Merlin grimaced. "Saturday is a bad day for me. I have an eleven hour shift here followed by a double shift at the bar."

_Damn_.

Merlin eyed him speculatively for a moment before asking, "You could always stop by the bar and we could head to mine after. My shift is from nine until two."

Arthur tried to ignore the fact that despite Merlin being the one to suggest it, he still looked troubled by the idea. He wasn't going to miss the opportunity.

"Sure," he got to his feet, retrieving his wallet from his pocket. When Merlin tried to get his own money out, he shook his head. "Coffee is on me. You can pay for the drinks tomorrow."

Merlin nodded, accepting this, and got to his feet. He waved to Gwen as they left the coffee shop.

"I'm this way," Arthur gestured to the left.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

He waited for a kiss or an embrace, _anything_ from Merlin, but the other man merely offered him a smile and a wave before turning and walked away.

Despite this, Arthur couldn't help but see the date as a success and he grinned the whole way back to the office.

* * *

**a/n: this is completely unedited. **

**Thank you so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Uther will be coming into the story soon. I want to establish the basics first but Uther and his purpose in this story will appear in about two chapters time, maybe less, I'm not quite sure yet.**

**Let me know what you think of this chapter?**


	4. Chapter 4

Morgana was waiting when he returned home from work. She'd helped herself to a bottle of whisky and a bowl of cherries. He studied her for a moment but her red dress was perfectly intact, her black hair pulled back in a tidy ponytail. She'd kicked off her stilettos and her bare legs waved in the air lazily as she stretched out over the side of the armchair, sucking on a cherry.

"Relax," she drawled, opening her eyes to look at him. "I haven't had any."

He glanced at the bottle of Jack Daniels and was relieved to see that the seal _was _still intact. He picked it up and returned it to its place in the cupboard. He'd have to put the lock on the cupboard if Morgana continued to break into his flat. Not that he didn't trust her, he did, but he didn't want her to slip up because of him.

He sat on the chair opposite her, sitting forward and balancing his forearms on his knees. She finished another cherry before sitting upright, drawing her knees to her chest and hugging them, seemingly not caring that her dress hitched up her thighs, showing off her underwear.

Morgana was a beautiful and strong woman. It always killed Arthur to see her broken. He and his sister didn't get on most of the time...but he still cherished her.

"Are you disappointed in me?" she drawled.

"No," he shook his head. "I'm pretty fucking proud, actually. You didn't drink any."

"I wanted to."

"But you didn't," he pointed out calmly. "What happened?"

She shook her head against her knees. "Uther."

_Of course_.

"I don't want to go home."

"You can stay with me for a few days," he assured her. "You can borrow some of my clothes for tonight."

"Thank you," she murmured softly.

He grinned. "There's still some Coco Pops and herbal tea from your last stay."

She returned his smile and got to her feet, stretching. He put her shoes away and grabbed a pair of his sweatpants and a shirt, handing them to her. She thanked him and disappeared into the spare room.

Once he was alone, he buried his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes tiredly with his thumbs. Sometimes it was bloody difficult. The way Uther treated Morgana sometimes...

He clenched his fists. _No, not thinking about him right now_. He refused to let the bastard ruin his good mood.

With an odd mixture of resignation and happiness in his heart, he went to bed.

**0**

"So," Morgana grinned wickedly as they ate dinner the next day. "I forgot to ask. How'd your date go?"

He speared a piece of pasta with his fork, studying her expression before answering. "Why?"

"Because I'm curious, my dear brother," she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of water. "You rarely go on dates. He must be special."

"He is."

Surprise flickered in her green eyes. "Holy shit, you're in love."

"No," he got through clenched teeth. "I'm not."

"Then you're definitely falling for him," Morgana insisted. "He must be really special, then."

"Spoken to Kara recently?"

It was a low blow and the pain registered immediately on Morgana's face. She swallowed hard, clenching her jaw to avoid losing control in front of him. That was the thing with Morgana. She was a proud woman and rarely let anyone – even her brother – see her darkest emotions.

"Shit, Morgan, I'm sorry, I really am," he reached across, squeezing his sister's hand once, gently. "I'm just...things are a little confusing for me right now."

"It's fine," she murmured, swiftly recovering. "Tell me about him."

"I met him at a bar the other night. I pissed him off, actually. But..."

"You slept with him."

"Yeah," he scratched the back of his neck, looking down at his food.

"So you slept with him _before _you went on a date? Normally you only do dates to get laid." She tilted her head, studying him. "He must have really made an impact."

"He did," Arthur nodded. "But..."

"But...?"

"On the date he didn't really say much about himself. And afterwards he gave me the brush off. I thought that was it. Then two weeks later he calls me up at three in the morning and he sounds really...I don't know, just not _right_...and he asks me out on another date. I asked him about the call and his explanation was plausible enough, but something still seemed off."

"Did you go on another date?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "And he said he wanted a relationship with me. He seemed normal, like the weirdness never happened."

"Okay..." she absorbed this, chewing the inside of her cheek. "Do you know _anything_ about him?"

"He works three jobs; at a bar, a coffee shop and as a cleaner. He liked to read." Arthur realised this was a pretty meagre offering and added, "He likes to work. He likes to keep busy. I've met two of his friends."

"Well..." Morgana thought this over. "Honestly, he does sound a little _quirky_, but nothing too weird. Maybe he's just not that trusting at first. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, okay? I've never seen you look this..._happy_ about someone, so do try not to ruin it."

"I'm not falling in love with him," Arthur swore. A few silent minutes passed before he said, "I'm seeing him tonight. I'm going to the bar he works at."

She grinned but didn't say anything in response. They cleared up in silence and Arthur started on some work alone in the kitchen. At eight o'clock, Morgana emerged from her bedroom dressed in a lacy green dress and black heels, her hair a mass of curls.

"I'm meeting with Mithian," she announced.

"Give her my love," Arthur murmured absently, focusing on his laptop.

Morgana nodded and stowed her phone, keys, purse and lipstick in a handbag. She clutched it as she leaned against the door, looking at him with a wicked look in her green eyes.

"So, this lover boy of yours, he's a bartender, barista _and _a _cleaner_ all in one?" she tilted her head, smirking. "Oh, daddy _won't_ be pleased."

Arthur's hands stilled on the keyboard, his posture going rigid. He shot his sister a dark look.

"Sometimes you can be a real twat," he muttered.

"Right back at you, brother dearest," she sang. "I'll see you later."

She fluttered her fingers in a wave and left, the scent of musk and roses lingering in the air after her. Arthur stared at the closed door for a moment before burying his head in his hands.

_Fuck_.

Morgana was a bitch but she was right. Normally Arthur flouted his sexual relations just to piss off Uther but...but this was _different_. The very idea of Uther finding out about Merlin made him feel sick. There was no way he was letting Uther near Merlin and vice versa.

Which meant he'd have to be _really _fucking careful to avoid Uther finding out about their relationship.

**0**

The bar was typically crowded for a Saturday night. But more than simply crowded, which he was used to, it was also pretty rough, which he was less used to. He could imagine a nasty bar fight breaking out at any moment and wondered how Merlin worked in a place like this. He felt a flash of worry before shaking it off with a roll of his eyes. Just because Merlin was a skinny git didn't mean he couldn't take care of himself. He most definitely could, as he'd proved the first time they'd met, and if he did get into any serious trouble...well, _Gwaine_ was nearby to take care of him.

He pushed through the crowds to get to the bar. Unfortunately, it was surrounded by patrons demanding the attention of the poor two bartenders who were trying to deal with the shouts and complaints swiftly. He managed to push into a space between two large men.

The other bartender was bright red and sweating, clearly panicked and flustered as he tried to deal with everything at once, resulting in a lot of mistakes. He looked like he was about to burst into tears and run away. Merlin, however, was coping a lot better. He moved almost gracefully, effortlessly pulling pints and dealing with the demands of the customers. He looked calm but determined, his eyes like steel as he ignored the complaints shouted at him, coping easily with the situation.

Arthur settled his arms on the bar, watching the man move. The bar was incredibly hot and the leather jacket was missing, though Merlin hadn't removed the scarf. He could see the lean muscles in Merlin's skinny arms move as he worked and admired the view. He liked seeing this Merlin. So far he knew Merlin was goofy, lanky and _incredibly _clumsy. It was good to see him move effortlessly as he worked.

A shatter snapped him out of his ogling and he looked down at the pint glass the other bartender had smashed. The bartender stood frozen, his eyes wide as if he expected the crowd to converge on him for the mistake.

Merlin calmly threw a towel over his shoulder and placed a hand on the bartender's shoulder.

"Why don't you take a break, Jay?" he suggested. "I can handle things for a little while. I'll clean the glass up."

Jay stuttered out a mixture between an apology and a thank you and disappeared, leaving Merlin alone. Merlin swept the glass up and threw it away before catching sight of Arthur. He grinned.

"Hey," he greeted. "Drink?"

Arthur nodded and Merlin wordlessly pulled him a pint, sliding it expertly across the sticky bar. Arthur reached into his pocket for his wallet but Merlin shook his head.

"I'm paying for the drinks tonight, remember?" he shouted over the loud music and the crowds.

Arthur leaned in. "Is it always this rough?"

He nodded.

"Get a lot of fights?"

Merlin nodded again. "Most Saturdays, yeah."

_Jesus_.

"I'm glad you're here," Merlin smiled. "But there were supposed to be four of us tonight. Molly and Chris called in sick so it is just me and Jay, and Jay isn't...well, you saw. So I'm pretty busy. You can head home if you want."

"Nah, I can wait," Arthur shrugged. "I've been looking forward to this."

Merlin grinned. "Me too."

"Oi!" a male voice boomed. "Merlin, are you going to keep flirting with your boyfriend or are you going to do your fucking job?"

Arthur tensed but Merlin laughed loudly, his eyes sparkling as he sent a rude gesture to the man who had made the remark.

"Don't worry," he said to Arthur. "He's a regular. He's just kidding." The man called again and Merlin rolled his eyes. "Duty calls."

Merlin slid down the bar and pulled another pint, laughing at a crude joke the man practically bellowed. Arthur watched, realisation slowly dawning. He didn't think Merlin would normally act this way but he seemed perfectly at ease as he did so. He was playing the role of the bartender of a seedy, rough bar to avoid trouble, and he slipped into the role effortlessly. It was clever and pretty fucking hot. It shouldn't have been a turn on...but it really, _really _was.

He watched the way Merlin's arm moved as he pulled pints, the wicked gleam in his eyes as he joined in the crude banter, and felt himself grow hot. At one point Merlin winked at him, a dirty smile on his lips, and Arthur almost groaned aloud.

"Are you going to keep smirking at your boyfriend or are you going to pull some pints, you fucking fag?"

It was a new voice, not the regular Merlin had laughed with, and this time Arthur knew it wasn't a joke or banter. There was genuine disgust in the man's voice and Merlin's response was telltale enough. He went rigid, his hand tightening around the glass in his hand, but after a moment he continued to work, silent. He avoided meeting gazes.

Merlin may have been content to ignore it but Arthur wasn't. He felt like his blood was on fire he was so angry. He _hated_ the word 'fag', he always had. And to hear someone calling _Merlin_ it...

It was easy to pick on someone like Merlin, a skinny, harmless guy, but he wondered what the homophobic prick would make of _him_.

He didn't get chance to find out, however. The man who had joked with Merlin earlier and his buddies were suddenly crowding the bastard, cold looks on their faces. The man they'd cornered was pretty muscular, but he was outnumbered.

"You want to say that again?" It was more snarled than spoken.

"Yeah," the man glanced at Merlin. "Fucking fag."

The punch was too fast for Arthur too catch it, but suddenly the man was clutching the bar to stay upright, blood spilling from his broken nose. He swore loudly and straightened, ready for the fight.

Merlin pulled another pint, his expression neutral but his eyes kept on the unfolding confrontation. He didn't look particularly surprised or worried, and he didn't look like he was going to intervene, either. But he'd said there were fights most Saturdays so he was probably used to it.

Gwaine pushed through the chanting crowd, taking in the situation before glancing at Merlin. He nodded once, jaw set, and gestured with his chin at the man who had called him a fag. Without hesitation Gwaine forced the brawling men apart.

"Time for you to leave."

"_He_ punched _me_," the man spluttered.

"Yeah, well you deserved it. We don't like your kind here." Gwaine forced his arm behind his back and began to push the man towards the exit.

There was something in the Irish bouncer's expression that told Arthur that, whatever had gone on between Gwaine and Merlin a second ago, the bouncer wasn't going to let the man walk away.

_Good_, he thought viciously. _The fucker will get what he deserves_.

He approached the bar, pushing his way until he was in front of Merlin. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I'm fine. Used to it."

_Used to it_? Fucking hell.

He opened his mouth to say something but Merlin turned away to serve the gradually increasing swarm of impatient customers. He sighed, banging his fist against the bar slightly.

Gwaine appeared beside him, close enough that he realised the Irishman was the same height as him and his equal when it came to brawn. He frowned at that. Wordlessly, Gwaine jerked his chin towards one of the empty corners of the bar and turned away from him. After a beat of hesitation, Arthur followed. He noticed Gwaine's knuckles were bleeding.

"Stay the fuck away from Merlin."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, his voice cool as he responded, "And why should I do that?"

"Because I'm not going to see him hurt, is that clear? You go back to your rich daddy and leave Merlin alone." Gwaine crowded him, his expression deadly serious. "Merlin seems to have lost all sense, but we haven't. We won't let you fuck him up, Pendragon."

_Who's we_? He didn't voice the question, instead taking a step forward so he was toe to toe with the bouncer and kept his own expression and voice calm as he replied.

"And what if I refuse to stay away? What will you do then – beat me up? I dare you to try it. Because if you think I'm going to leave just because you said so then, quite frankly, you can go fuck yourself. I'm staying."

Surprise and something akin to approval flickered in Gwaine's eyes. He eyed Arthur for a moment, sizing him up, and he gazed back steadily, refusing to back down. He was pretty sure that if it came to a physical confrontation he would win. There was no chance he was going to hurt Merlin, at least not on purpose, and there was no way he was going to back off either.

"Gwaine."

Both heads snapped round to stare at Merlin. He stood a couple of feet away, his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, and he didn't look particularly happy.

"Merlin," Gwaine took a step away from Arthur. "I was..."

"Yeah, I know. The usual shit you do, right?" Merlin rolled his eyes.

So Merlin was used to Gwaine warning people to stay away from him. _Interesting_. And why the hell was Gwaine so protective of the bartender anyway? Arthur could tell there was no romantic or sexual interest between either of them, purely a platonic but deep friendship. But even for a best friend, Gwaine was going a bit overkill.

"Ted and Jack have turned up for their shift so I'm gonna head off," Merlin said to Gwaine.

"Alright, mate," Gwaine punched him lightly in the arm as he passed. "See you tomorrow."

"So," Arthur spoke once they were alone. "Back to your place?"

He was surprisingly eager to see what Merlin's home was like. Would it be full of books? Dirty or well kept? Did he have any flatmates or any _pets_? He hoped the personal touches of the flat would give him some more information about the man in front of him. He was beginning to burn with curiosity.

"Actually, I think I'm going to head home alone."

Arthur stared at him for a long moment, wondering if he was joking. The other man stared blankly back, waiting for a response. After a moment, he chuckled mirthlessly, shaking his head.

"You know," he spoke grimly. "Eventually I'm going to get really fucking tired of these mixed signals and just leave."

Something like a smile touched Merlin's lips, but it wasn't a happy one. "No, you won't."

"No," Arthur agreed with a sigh. "I won't."

"It's been a long and shitty day. I'm tired and I don't want to deal with this now. I'm going to head home and sleep. I'll call you."

"Don't bother," Arthur was surprised by how cold he sounded, but really, this was fucking ridiculous. "Sleep well." He pushed past the other man, furious.

Morgana was waiting when he returned home but he didn't answer her questioning gaze, instead disappearing straight into his bedroom. His anger didn't abate at all as he got ready for bed.

What kind of game was Merlin playing?

And then it struck him. It wasn't a game. Merlin had wanted to piss him off and make him leave of his own volition. Merlin was, yet again, pushing him away.

_But why_?

* * *

**review? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Despite what most people would believe, Arthur actually had only a close circle of people around him. Out of them, there were only four he would talk to about personal stuff; Morgana, Gaius, Leon and Mithian.

There was no way he was talking to Morgana about Merlin, not again. He trusted her and he valued her advice...but no. She was a lot better than Uther but he'd seen the gleam of patronisation in her eyes when he told her what Merlin did for a living. She'd been raised by the rich and lived like the rich. She may have fucked girls but she fucked _rich _girls. It didn't matter if they were attractive, or sweet, or her even her soulmate; if they weren't rich, then they were laughable. So she'd never understand him and Merlin.

Gaius...definitely not. Gaius had worked as Uther's advisor until he was old enough to retire. He'd been a good friend to Uther despite his blatant disagreement with most of his opinions and values. He'd been like an uncle to Arthur growing up, safe and comforting, and he'd helped Arthur a lot when he was a kid. But even though he trusted and cherished Gaius, he knew the old man was a little uncertain about Arthur's sexuality and he didn't want to run the risk of Uther finding out about Merlin.

Which left Leon and Mithian. He'd had conversations about his sexuality with Leon before. Leon was the son of one of Uther's oldest and wealthiest friends, and they'd grown up side by side as best friends. Like Arthur, Leon tended to resent his father and his actions but he rarely outright rebelled. He was too good for that. But he'd been Arthur's best friend and confidant ever since they were children. He was straight as an arrow and tended to have old fashioned ideals about women and how men should treat them – chivalrous and nothing less – but he'd barely batted an eyelid when Arthur had told him he was gay. He was good to talk to but...no. He tended to wax lyrical about love and that wasn't what Arthur wanted right now. He wanted a no bullshit, blunt conversation about things.

So...Mithian. The thought made him slightly uncomfortable. He and Mithian adored one another and they were practically soulmates. The only problem was she was the wrong gender for him. Arthur had been unofficially betrothed to Mithian during his teen years at Uther's command. Mithian had seemed neutral on the idea. She and Arthur were brilliant friends and sparkled when they were together, but marriage was a commitment and she was only eighteen. She'd been the first to find out he was gay and had merely smiled, saying she'd suspected as much, though at first she was slightly disappointed at the idea of losing him. Arthur told Uther he had no plans of marrying Mithian. Uther had been furious and threatened to disown Arthur, which didn't particularly faze him. But his father had been mollified when Arthur and Mithian continued to see one another regularly and remained good friends. He still held up hope for their future marriage despite Arthur's sexuality.

But Arthur rarely spoke to her about romantic issues. After all, they'd been unofficially betrothed for years. She'd been open to the idea of being in a relationship with him until he came out as gay. Openly talking about some guy he was falling for didn't seem like a great thing to do.

So...who then?

After a whole night trying to puzzle it out, Arthur realised there was only really one person he wanted to talk to and that was Merlin.

Well, then.

**0**

Gwaine and some other bloke were on bouncer duty when Arthur turned up at the bar. It was a Sunday and he expected it to be quiet, but loud music blasted from the building and from the cheers it sounded pretty packed.

"Merlin's not working tonight," Gwaine told him as he approached.

_Well, fuck_. "Do you know where he might be?"

"In there," Gwaine nodded over his shoulder. "Getting wasted." He didn't look particularly happy about this.

Arthur nodded and headed into the bar. There was a live band playing, one he recognised as a local grunge band called _Nuclear Sewage Puppies_. Morgana had gone through a phase of listening to them just to piss of Uther. They'd all been relieved when she'd gotten over the phase.

Arthur winced at the screech of guitars and singing that hadn't improved since he'd last heard it and searched the crowd for Merlin. He was stood away from the main crowd with some bloke...and they were both wearing band T-shirts – a band called _Death Cab for Cutie_, he saw – and matching fucking bracelet. Arthur's gaze narrowed.

_How fucking cute_.

He straightened his spine and approached, keeping his expression neutral as he stopped by the two men. He glanced at the other man, frowning when he realised he was pretty cute. Short but nicely built with strong features, scruffy brown hair and eyes caught between green and blue. He caught Arthur's look and grinned.

"Don't worry, mate, I'm strictly straight and the idea of fucking Merlin is like incest." He held out his hand. "I'm Will, Merlin's best mate."

_Ah, so this was Will_. Arthur shook his hand, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"You must be Arthur," Will studied him for a moment before glancing back at Merlin. "He's pretty trashed. I need to head back; I have an early shift in the morning. Take care of him, alright?"

Arthur opened his mouth to answer but Will was already saying goodbye to Merlin. He nodded once to Arthur before disappearing towards the exit. Arthur noticed Merlin sway and quickly grabbed him by the shoulders, keeping him steady.

"Christ, how much have you had?" he muttered.

Merlin stared up at him, his eyes glassy. "Arthur...?"

"Yep," he replied, moving to stand beside the other man but keeping a hand on his back to hold him steady. "Thought you'd gotten rid of me for good, huh?"

Merlin slurred something that sounded like 'bad penny' and Arthur snorted.

"That's me."

Merlin leaned against him heavily and he quickly looped an arm around his shoulders to accommodate the new position, stopping Merlin from crumbling to the ground. He'd bypassed wasted and was heading straight for paralytic.

"You like this kind of music?" Arthur asked for a moment.

Merlin shook his head slowly. "Not my kind of thing...but this is where I spend...my...my free...time."

Arthur gazed down at him for a moment before asking casually, "When are you going to quit trying to push me away? Just so I know."

Merlin's answer was to abruptly straighten and press a hard, demanding kiss to Arthur's mouth. He reluctantly pulled away after a moment. Merlin would be willing to do anything in this state and he wasn't going to take advantage of that.

"I think it's time you get home," Arthur announced.

Merlin blinked before nodding, cheerfully saying, "You get to see my home!"

"Yeah."

He managed to get Merlin out of the crowded bar and out into the cold night air. He hoped it would help sober him up a bit. Gwaine didn't say anything as they passed him but something like approval flashed across his face.

Arthur helped Merlin into his car and buckled him in, pulling away when Merlin tried to plant another sloppy kiss on his lips.

"Where do you live?" he asked as he started the engine.

It took him several repeats until he finally understood what Merlin was slurring. He frowned as he exited the bar's carpark. He was pretty sure the address Merlin had given him was in the shittiest, most violent areas of the city. He knew Merlin didn't earn much money, but bloody hell. Junkies, ex prisoners and prostitutes as his neighbours?

Arthur drove through the derelict area, shaking his head slightly. If Uther only knew what he was doing and where he was, he'd probably have an aneurysm. The thought made him smile grimly as he parked outside a large, gritty block of flats.

The elevator was full of trash and suspicious looking fluids and absolutely _reeked _of piss, and Arthur would rather brave ten flights of stairs over it any day. But Merlin was barely able to stand let alone attempt the stairs so he held his breath as the elevator whirred and clunked them up to the top floor.

He found the right flat and searched Merlin's pockets until he found the keys. He let them in and searched the hallway until his fingertips clicked a light switch. From what he could see, the flat was sparsely furnished and kept perfectly clean and tidy. To his disappointment, there was barely any personal touches to the place despite Merlin living there.

"Bedroom?" he grunted, tired from holding Merlin upright.

Merlin pointed to a door on the left and he opened it, both of them stumbling into the tiny bedroom. Merlin collapsed onto the bed and Arthur helped him out of his shoes and jacket. He knew waking up having slept in skinny jeans wouldn't be pleasant but he wasn't about to undress Merlin completely when he was so drunk.

He found the kitchen and filled a glass with water before hunting down some paracetamol. When he finally found the small box he returned with them and the water to the bedroom and put them on the small nightstand beside Merlin's bed. The young man was already fast asleep and Arthur rolled his eyes, pulling the covers over his body.

He'd wanted to talk to Merlin, not take his drunken ass home. But now he was here...

He surveyed the room slowly. Other than Merlin's clothes, there was hardly any personal touches to the room apart from a row of photographs on a table to the right. He studied them curiously. He recognised Gwaine, Gwen and Will and, of course, Merlin, but the other faces were unfamiliar. He assumed the middle aged, sweet looking woman was his mother...but Merlin said he didn't have any family, at least not that he spoke to.

He studied the unfamiliar faces before giving up. He wasn't gleaning any information about Merlin except that for someone who seemed so sheltered and clearly insistent on having his privacy, he had quite a few people in his life.

As he turned, he caught sight of something tucked underneath Merlin's bed. He tried to keep a hold on his curiosity but...well, he'd always been too nosy for his own good. He crouched down and slid the shoebox out, cracking the lid open.

_Oh_, he realised, staring down at the contents. _It's a box of memories_.

Some seashells, some old photographs, a broken leather wristwatch, an empty bottle of expensive perfume, a collection of random things that didn't tell much about Merlin's life but more about the people he'd met. One object in particular caught Arthur's eye and he carefully lifted out a locket.

It was beautiful and made of real gold, the oval locket elegantly carved with roses around the edge and initials in the centre. _F. E. _He flipped it over to find another set of initials carved on the back; _M.E_. He pondered that for a moment before catching the latch with his thumbnail and carefully prising the locket open. There was a picture inside...of Merlin. He looked younger, his cheekbones not quite as prominent so his face had a goofy, boyish charm to it. He was smiling, a radiant and genuine grin that made Arthur's heart hurt. He stared down and the younger Merlin's blue eyes stared back, immortalised in the photo and sparkling with joy and mischief as he looked at whatever was on the other side of the camera.

On the empty side of the locket a heart had been carved into the smooth gold. Arthur stared down at the photo of Merlin for a few minutes, wishing he could see Merlin look like that in real life, if just for a second. He was tempted to take the photo but he resisted the urge.

Finally, he shut the locket and returned it to the box. The locket had clearly belonged to someone else. Merlin wasn't particularly masculine but he didn't tend to wear jewellery, especially feminine lockets. He'd kept it for sentimental reasons...and there was a picture of Merlin inside. Whoever the locket had belonged to clearly cared a lot for Merlin. They'd kept him close to their heart.

Arthur prayed it was his mother, because the alternative...fuck, he didn't want to even think about that.

He'd stumbled across something incredibly important and probably terrifying about Merlin's life and he immediately regretted his invasion of Merlin's privacy. Feeling sick with guilt, he quickly shoved the lid back on the box and slid it underneath the bed, getting to his feet.

He stared down at Merlin for a moment, his heart aching as he thought of the photo of a younger, more carefree man grinning happily, before hurriedly leaving the flat, fleeing the scene of his misdemeanour.

Shit, why had he done it?

**0**

"Uther wants me to return home. He wants you to visit as well."

"Uther can fuck off," Arthur mumbled against his pillow.

"Ooh, someone's feisty today," Morgana teased, entering his bedroom much to his annoyance. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you sulking into your pillow like a lovesick teenager?"

He sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "Merlin."

"Bloody hell, I was joking when I said _lovesick_," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "How old are you again, Arthur?"

He sat up and glared at her. "Fuck off, Morgana. I'm not in the mood."

As usual, she completely ignored what he wanted and perched on the end of his bed, flicking her dark hair over one shoulder.

"Ignoring the fact that you're clearly an emotionally stunted man in his mid twenties who has no clue when it comes to _love_," she snorted. "Why don't you tell me what's going on so I can help?"

He eyed her disdainfully. "And why would you help? Merlin's _poor_."

"And you're a massive twat, but I'm bored so get talking."

Arthur huffed but relented. "I went to the bar to talk to him but he was completely trashed. I ended up having to take him home."

"And...?" she waved her hand for him to elaborate. "So far, all I'm getting is that your boyfriend was drunk and you got to take him home to bed. Not really a negative thing, is it?"

"Nothing happened," he glared at her. "He was too drunk for his consent to mean anything."

She rolled her eyes but kept quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"You know what I said the other day about him being secretive?"

"Yeah," she raised her eyebrows. "Ooh, is he a drug dealer or something?"

"Fuck, no!" he sat up, blinking. That thought hadn't occurred to him...but no. "Merlin isn't a drug dealer. But I was curious since I know nothing about him so...I did something really fucking stupid."

"Nothing new there," she snarked, but seeing his grim expression her eyes widened. "Arthur, what did you _do_?"

"There was a box underneath his bed, a box of memories. It was private but I... I kind of...looked inside it."

"So you've been dating this guy for a short while and already you've completely violated his privacy." She summarised. "Way to go, Arthur. Did he find out?"

"No. But I found something in the box." He didn't want to tell her exactly what he'd found. He'd already betrayed Merlin's trust enough. "I'm not sure what it means but it has something to do with Merlin, something...I don't know, not good."

"Right..." Morgana slowly nodded. "But obviously you can't ask him about it because if you do he'll know you fucked up."

"Exactly."

"Well, the way I see it, you keep quiet. Stop being such a nosy, impatient bastard. You've fallen pretty damn quickly, Arthur, but Merlin clearly has his own speed. Wait until he'd comfortable enough to tell you about it."

It wasn't the reply he'd been hoping for but he knew it was the wisest thing to do. He nodded in resignation and slumped back onto the pillows.

"And _do _try to avoid invading his privacy again," she added. "You seriously don't want to fuck this up."

"No," he agreed. "Thanks, Morgan. That was surprisingly helpful."

"Well, I never got a little sister to impart my valuable love advice on, so you're the substitute."

He threw a pillow at her. She rolled her eyes and got to her feet, smoothing out the front of her dress. She was going to see Uther, that much was obvious. She only dressed so smartly when he would see. The rest of the time she wore jeans.

"Tell Uther I'll see him soon," Arthur sighed reluctantly. If Morgana could face Uther then he could grow a pair and do the same.

She nodded, looking relieved that she could Uther some positive news, and left, fluttering her fingers in a wave. Arthur remained on his bed for several minutes, thinking through what Morgana had said. He always had been incredibly impatient. It was one of his worst traits. But if he wanted to avoid screwing things up more than he already had done by invading Merlin's privacy, he'd have to keep quiet and keep patient.

His phone flashed from where it was charging in the corner of his bedroom and he climbed off the bed to retrieve it. His heart flipped when he saw it was Merlin's number.

"Hey," he answered, striving to sound casual.

"Hey," Merlin echoed. "Thanks for taking me home last night. And for not...you know...I was pretty drunk and..."

"Yeah, I know," Arthur interrupted. "You're welcome."

"I don't remember much from last night," Merlin admitted after an awkward beat of silence. "But I remember you asking me when I was going to quit pushing you away."

Arthur's hand tightened around the small device. "And?"

"I can be a massive twat sometimes..."

"Yeah, I'd noticed that."

"Prat," Merlin muttered in response. "But...I don't want to push you away. I really don't. Which is pretty new for me."

"So are you going to stop pushing?" Arthur demanded. "Because I'm sick of whatever this thing is, Merlin. I want to be in a relationship with you. A _real _relationship. Not just dating. You appeared to want the same thing when we had coffee the other day but then you pushed me away yet again."

He heard a sharp exhale but Merlin didn't reply. He waited, tapping the fingers of his free hand against his thigh. Finally,

"Look, the answer is I don't know. And yeah, until I _do _know, I'll probably keep pushing you away. The question is, will _you _keep coming back?"

He wanted to say no. He wanted to keep his pride and tell Merlin where to go. But he knew Merlin wasn't trying to be an arsehole. He was genuinely confused and admitting to a fault. And Arthur knew that if he _did _keep coming back when Merlin tried to push him away, eventually Merlin's feelings would catch up with his and the bloody game would finally end.

But he planned on doing more than simply coming back. He planned on pushing back. Because it was about time Merlin got over whatever weirdness was holding him back from entering a relationship with Arthur because he was sick of being patient.

Impatience had always been a fault of his, especially when it came to things he wanted. And right now he was certain he'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted Merlin.

* * *

**a/n: I'm neglecting four sociology essays and a lot of English coursework (yay A levels) in order to write this. So I might not update for a few days so I can catch up on work.**

**I'm updated twice today, so make sure you've read the previous chapter before this :)**

**Review?**


	6. Chapter 6

"We're going to get drunk and you're joining us."

Arthur glanced up from the work on his desk to stare at the group of men in front of him; Leon, Elyan and Cenred he knew well, but the others were people he recognised from work but rarely spoke to.

"I really need to start locking the door," he muttered.

"You've been working too much," Cenred chastised.

_Because Uther gives me twice as much work as anyone else in order to __**test**__ me. _

"I need to get it finished."

Elyan ignored his refusal and asked, "Where to?"

At that, Arthur's head snapped back up and he smiled. "I know a place."

Leon rolled his eyes. "We're not going to the bar your boyfriend works at, Arthur."

"Then I'm not going."

He had work to do and the only perk of going out right now would be to see Merlin. He'd been too busy to speak to him face to face in the past week and a half and phone calls just weren't cutting it anymore.

"When did you become so _lovesick_?" Cenred grumbled. "It's so bloody _domestic_."

"I don't love him," Arthur defended once again, but with a sigh amended, "Yet."

Because he was pretty sure he was falling for Merlin. Hard.

"Alright, fine," Leon relented. "Hurry up and get ready."

Arthur took ten minutes to shower and dress appropriately for a night out. He, Leon, Cenred and Elyan took Leon's car and the other guys got a taxi. Arthur knew they wanted to ask him about Merlin and his relationship with the man so he quickly deflected by asking Leon about his latest girlfriend.

His eyes went all dreamy and glossed over as he yet again began to wax lyrical about the girl and Arthur and Elyan shared an eye roll.

As Leon droned on, he took a moment to realise he'd been in a proper relationship for close to three weeks. It didn't seem strange or boring. It seemed...right.

Gwaine wasn't on bouncer duty and Arthur wondered briefly if Merlin would be. He'd said he worked at the bar most nights and it _was _a Saturday, but there was always the chance he had the night off.

He needn't have worried. Merlin and two other bartenders were keeping the crowd happy as they served drinks and chatted happily. As Merlin pushed through the crowd to drop off a tray of drinks, Arthur realised that, paired with a blue T-shirt and Converse, Merlin was wearing _leather fucking trousers_.

His mouth went dry and he stopped dead, staring as Merlin's leather clad ass returned to the bar. Leon pushed him forward, shooting him an odd look as they approached the bar.

Jesus Christ, but could Merlin pull off leather trousers. They were practically painted to him and showed off...well, _everything_. Merlin was usually goofy, handsome and endearing with an edge of sexiness when he wanted to be...but in the leather trousers..._holy fuck_.

"So, which one is Merlin?" Leon asked as they ordered drinks of Jay.

Arthur called out to Merlin and he glanced up, grinning when he saw who it was. He served a drink and walked over, throwing a towel over his shoulder as he stopped in front of Arthur.

"Hey," he greeted. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Arthur recovered enough to say, "Sorry...work."

"Merlin," Leon pushed in before they could say anything else. "I'm Leon, Arthur's best mate. And these are Elyan and Cenred."

Merlin greeted them with a touch of nervousness, looking slightly overwhelmed by meeting three of Arthur's friends at once but taking it in his stride. He chatted cheerfully for a few minutes before dashing off to serve drinks to a clamour of customers.

"He's not your usual type," Leon remarked. "But he seems like a good bloke."

Cenred was less polite. "Your boyfriend is cute."

Arthur cut him a look. "Yeah, he is."

Cenred held up both hands with a grin. "Don't worry, man. I'm just sayin'."

Arthur shook his head but left it, distracting himself with his drink. After a few minutes a group of girls vacated a booth in the corner and they sat down. Leon and Elyan were talking and he commented now and then, but his eyes were on Merlin. In those leather trousers, it was fucking impossible to look away. He could see he wasn't the only one whose gaze was lingering.

He hadn't fucked Merlin, not since that first drunken night, and he was began to get tired of waiting. He wasn't sure if Merlin wanted to take things slow so he'd restrained himself, waiting for Merlin to make the first move. But those _fucking _trousers...

His blatant ogling was interrupted by a sudden roar of voices by the pool tables. Two men were brawling viciously. One had a broken pool stick in hand, ready to use as a pretty grisly weapon if necessary, and in retaliation the other smashed a beer bottle and held it up in warning.

People scattered out of the way, aware that this fight was going to be a bloody one. Arthur glanced towards the door but even the bouncer stood still, clearly not wanting to get involved when two nasty makeshift weapons were on display.

The bloke with the pool stick swung wildly but the other was fast on his feet and ducked sharply, avoiding the sharp end. He straightened and thrust the bottle forward, catching the other man's forearm as he blocked it from hitting his abdomen.

Before anything further could happen, Merlin pushed his way through the crowd towards the men. Arthur's heart froze in his chest because _fuck_, the idea of Merlin getting between two angry men with crude weapons made him feel like someone was gutting him.

He was on his feet in a second but Leon grabbed his arm tightly, aware that his friend was about to do something stupid and stopping him.

"Take it outside, guys," Merlin said, holding his hands up as he forced himself between the brawling men. "Or better yet, go home and sober up."

The one with the pool stick lowered his weapon, looking reluctant to hurt someone who wasn't the man he'd just been fighting, especially someone as scrawny and harmless as Merlin. He took a step back in surrender.

The other bloke had no such qualms. He stared at Merlin incredulously for a moment but typical of a coward waited until Merlin had turned slightly to check on the other man before attacking. He swung the bottle in an arc, catching Merlin on the side of head.

Merlin reared back, his hands flying to his face. Arthur saw red, struggling against Leon's grip, but Elyan was on his other side then, holding him back.

The man swung again, this time towards Merlin's chest for a fatal injury, but Merlin was faster. He ducked to the side, out of the way, and grabbed the man's still swinging arm. He held his wrist tightly and dug his thumb into the pressure point between the man's thumb and pointing finger, causing him to cry out and drop the weapon. Merlin kicked it aside and with one swift, sharp movement he twisted the man's around and up, forcing him to his knees with his arm caught, twisted and incapacitated, behind him.

Arthur stopped struggling, stopped moving completely, and stared at Merlin. He...he just took down a man twice his size in under twenty seconds. Fucking _effortlessly_. But Merlin was skinny...and goofy...and clumsy...and, well, not helpless, but not exactly a fighter. Where had he been hiding _this_?

Then he caught sight of the blood spilling down Merlin's face and every thought flew from his mind as his chest constricted. He knew head injuries tended to bleed a lot, but Christ...head injuries were also bloody dangerous.

The bouncer finally appeared beside Merlin and the bartender released the man, who immediately clutched his arm to his chest, swearing loudly in pain. Arthur had seen the self defence move before and knew the arm wasn't broken, but it would be sore for a while.

The bouncer got rid of the bloke as Arthur shook Leon's now slack grip free and pushed his way through to Merlin's side. He swayed slightly and Arthur's heart lurched as he quickly grabbed Merlin's shoulders to keep him steady.

"_Fuck_, Merlin," he breathed, staring at the blood. "Come on, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No," Merlin protested, shaking his head. "I just want to go home."

"Merlin, that guy just tried to fucking _brain_ you with a broken bottle. You're going to hospital."

"I'm fine. It isn't serious, I can tell. Just a scratch." He glanced at Arthur, his expression softening. "I'm okay, Arthur, really."

"For a moment there..." Arthur shook his head, not wanting to experience the surge of ice cold terror he'd felt when that bottle had collided with Merlin's flesh. "At least let me make sure you get home safely."

"You can take my car," Leon offered, appearing beside Arthur. "We'll get a taxi."

"Thanks," Arthur smiled gratefully.

"No problem," Leon glanced at Merlin, his brow furrowing. "Shit, mate, I really think you need the hospital."

"I'm _fine_," Merlin insisted. "Look, my neighbour is a nurse. If I need medical help we can ask him."

Arthur relaxed slightly at this and nodded, leading Merlin out of the bar. He felt bad about the blood on Leon's seats but mostly he was worried about just how _much _there was. Merlin kept his head back against the seat, closing his eyes.

Arthur swore. "Don't sleep. Not a great idea with head injuries."

He expected Merlin to come back with a sarcastic response but he merely nodded, forcing himself to sit upright to avoid falling asleep. Arthur once again cursed Merlin living on the top floor as they braved the disgusting elevator again.

Once inside Merlin's flat, he sat Merlin down on his sofa and headed into the kitchen. He filled the bowl in the sink with warm water and grabbed a cloth. He searched the kitchen for a First Aid kit, thanking God when he finally found one.

"I'm honestly fine, Arthur," Merlin assured him, but he looked touched by Arthur's concern.

Arthur ignored him, soaking the cloth with warm water before pressing it to Merlin's head. It was hard to locate the actual wound when there was so much blood so he began to clean it away. He knew the instant the cloth touched the injury because Merlin hissed, recoiling slightly.

Arthur cleaned away the blood carefully, wincing every single time Merlin did, and finally got a good look at the cut. To his relief it really wasn't bad. It bled like most head injuries did but he knew it didn't require stitches. It was a shallow and slim cut, more of a scrape really. Still, Merlin would have to be careful to avoid catching it when brushing his hair.

"See?" Merlin smiled. "I'm fine."

Arthur rolled his eyes and finished cleaning up the cut. He handed Merlin some painkillers and winced when he dry swallowed them. It always freaked him out when people did that.

"You probably have concussion," Arthur frowned. "Sleeping wouldn't be a wise decision."

Merlin's smile turned wicked. "Any ideas on how to keep me awake?"

Arthur's stomach flipped but he firmly pushed his desire away. "Merlin, you've just been bottled in the head and you have concussion. When you're recovered..."

Merlin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, clearly forcing his own desire down. He got to his feet, stretching.

"I'm going to have a shower to clean up," he grimaced at the lingering blood on his skin. "Will you stay?"

"Someone needs to wake you up," Arthur reminded him. "Besides, I could use a shower after you." He peeled his ruined shirt away from his skin, grimacing.

Merlin offered a sheepish grin before disappearing into the bathroom. Arthur cleaned up before leaning against the sink, closing his eyes. He'd never felt so scared before in his life. The moment he saw the bottle about to hit Merlin...

Bloody hell, he really was falling in love with the man. And he had no idea how Merlin felt in return.

Merlin shuffled into the kitchen, clearly sleepy but looking much better. He wore pyjama bottoms and a white shirt and Arthur realised it was only the second time he'd seen Merlin without his scarf, and he couldn't really remember the first time.

He'd never described a throat as _sexy_ before, but Merlin tended to be the exception these days. He swallowed and resisted the temptation to look closer. He knew Merlin was hiding something behind that scarf but if he didn't want Arthur to see, then he wasn't going to look. He was taking Morgana's advice to be patient to heart.

He couldn't help but feel disappointed that the leather trousers were gone.

"So," Arthur raised an eyebrow. "The leather?"

An adorable blush dusted Merlin's cheekbones and Arthur fought the urge to lick it off.

"I lost a bet to Will," Merlin explained.

Arthur stepped forward, staring straight into the other man's eyes as he murmured, voice low, "Do you have any idea how fuckable you looked in them?"

Merlin looked surprised. "Really? I felt ridiculous."

"Trust me when I say I wasn't the only one looking," Arthur rumbled, pressing his body against Merlin's. "Just looking at you in them made me hard. I wanted to peel them off you and fuck you senseless."

Merlin tilted his head back, groaning loudly. As Arthur's teeth scraped against his jaw he breathed, "_Finally_."

Arthur pulled back in surprise. "What?"

Merlin huffed and levelled his gaze on him. "Arthur, I've been waiting for weeks for you to make the move."

"You have?" Arthur smiled sheepishly. "I was waiting for _you _to make the move."

"Well..." Merlin pressed harder against him, making his intent clear. "Now we're on the same page..."

"Not tonight," Arthur reluctantly pulled away. "When you're not concussed and still pale from blood loss, I'm going to see how many times I can make you scream my name in one night."

Merlin groaned. "That's _really _not helping."

Arthur grinned wickedly and pressed a hard kiss to his lips. "Eat something...and drink some orange juice if you have it. It'll help with the blood loss."

Merlin nodded, still pouting petulantly and Arthur had to duck into the bathroom before he gave into his less chivalrous urges and took Merlin right there on the kitchen table. Safely inside the bathroom he took a deep breath, slowly regaining control.

Bloody hell, Merlin turned him into a horny teenager all over again.

He shook his head ruefully and climbed into the tiny shower, letting the hot water soothe him. When he emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist, he found Merlin already in bed, clearly struggling to stay awake.

"Can I borrow something to sleep in?"

Merlin wordlessly gestured to his closet. Arthur chose a pair of boxers and a T-shirt and pulled them on before climbing into bed beside Merlin. He pressed his nose against the collar of Merlin's shirt, breathing in the scent. Still...it was much better in real life. He rolled over and buried his face against Merlin's upper arm, breathing in the clean, masculine scent.

"You smell good," he murmured.

"You reek," Merlin snarked back, smiling as he carded his fingers through Arthur's hair.

Arthur snorted but didn't respond. It had been a crap night but he got to sleep with Merlin – in the literal sense – so he was mollified. He breathed in Merlin's scent as he drifted.

"This is weird," Merlin remarked after several minutes. "Oddly...domestic. But nice."

Arthur hummed slightly in response. After a few more minutes of silence he knew he had to speak to avoid falling asleep. He had to keep watch over Merlin since he had concussion.

"When did you learn self defence?" he asked.

"A couple of years ago," Merlin answered with a minute shrug. "I barely know shit, just the basics. I'd be useless in an actual fight with someone but I know enough to save my ass in situations like tonight."

"I'm glad," Arthur murmured. "I was fucking terrified when I saw him go for you with the bottle. It's nice to know you can handle yourself somewhat."

Merlin was quiet for a long time before answering. "Arthur, I'm twenty three. I'm still here, aren't I? I don't need you to protect me."

That stung, but Arthur kept his voice casual. "I was still worried."

Merlin pressed a kiss to his temple. "Well...thank you, I guess."

"Get some sleep, Merlin."

"Yes, Your Highness," he rolled his eyes.

Arthur sat up so he wouldn't fall asleep and let Merlin bloody _snuggle _against him as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**a/n: there will be no magic in this story, just to clarify. I thought about it but it just didn't seem to fit.**

**But I didn't want Merlin to be completely helpless and I kind of adore BAMF Merlin, so I made him so in a more usual way than magic. Plus Merlin knowing some basic self defence ties in with some revelations in later chapters...but *spoilers***

**Uther will appear in the next chapter. **

**Review?**


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n: completely unedited! And here is Uther...**

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

* * *

Arthur woke up to find he was alone in the bed. He groaned slightly, still half asleep, and reached out to Merlin's side of the bed. It was cold; Merlin had left a long time ago. His fingertips brushed paper and he opened his eyes, squinting in the darkness.

_Darkness_?

He glanced at the clock. It was quarter to six in the morning. Where the hell had Merlin gone so early? He switched on the lamp on Merlin's nightstand, waiting for his eyes to adjust before opening the folded paper.

It took him several attempts to read Merlin's handwriting – if it even could be called that. It was like the scrawl of a toddler. Finally, he made sense of the scribble, shaking his head at Merlin's terrible writing.

_Arthur,_

_Didn't want to wake you. Gone to work. Help yourself to breakfast. I'll call you later._

_Merlin._

It was an oddly impersonal message considering he and Merlin were in a relationship but he decided not to give it much thought. He'd already witnessed Merlin's more...quirky habits. He probably thought his note was the height of romance.

Arthur folded the note carefully and found his jeans on the floor, retrieving his phone from the pocket. He carefully typed out a message to Merlin, still not fully awake.

_You were almost brained last night. You sure work is a good idea?  
- Arthur x_

He didn't expect a reply but his phone buzzed in his hand before he could put it on the nightstand. He opened the message in surprise.

_I wondered when you'd wake up, you lazy prat. And yes, I'm sure work is fine. I need the money.  
- Merlin_

Arthur grinned. Six o'clock in the morning was a time for sleeping and not for flirty texts but he couldn't help himself.

_You were waiting for my text? I'm touched.  
- Arthur x_

When a full ten minutes passed without an answer Arthur frowned. But Merlin had probably just started his shift...doing what? Cleaning, probably.

_Don't flatter yourself, princess. Have you had breakfast yet?  
- Merlin_

Arthur snorted. _Princess_?

_I've only just woken up. Six o'clock is an ungodly hour. What time did you get up? __**How **__did you get up? It's not natural.  
- Arthur x_

He sat up, shivering as the cooler air of the room hit his flesh. He didn't particularly want to get out of bed. He was slightly hungover (he'd definitely had too much to drink last night), coming down from the adrenaline and panic of seeing Merlin coming close to being stabbed with a broken bottle, ridiculously tired and...as embarrassing as it was, sexually frustrated. Morning wood wasn't surprising. What _was _surprising that it refused to _go away_.

_I told you, I don't sleep that much. In fact, you slept more than me.  
- Merlin_

Arthur frowned at this. How could one person survive on such little sleep? It wasn't natural. He was composing a text expressing that exact sentiment when his phone vibrated again in his hand. He opened the new text and felt a grin pull at his mouth.

_You're cute when you're asleep.  
- Merlin_

He ignored the warmth in his chest at this and typed out a snarky response.

_I KNEW there was a romantic lurking inside you.  
- Arthur x_

The response was almost immediate.

_Piss off. Tosser._

Arthur laughed loudly and dropped the phone onto the nightstand. He closed his eyes, deciding to fit in more sleep before he had to leave, but there was an insistent, burning tightness in his abdomen. He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

He imagined Merlin texting him, licking his lips as he thought through his responses, his eyes bright with amusement. An image of Merlin in those bloody leather trousers popped into his mind and his hand was reached underneath the boxers before he was even conscious of the action.

His fingers brushed his hard dick as his other hand smoothed out over the sheets, brushing a different material. He lifted Merlin's discarded shirt, breathing in the scent, feeling himself grow harder.

His phone buzzed again and he sighed. Probably Leon checking in on him. Or Morgana. Or bloody Uther.

_Stop wanking, get some breakfast, and piss off home.  
- Merlin x_

Arthur knew the kiss was added so he knew the text was teasing but his heart fluttered anyway. He rolled his eyes at himself. _Maybe I should get a fucking diary and write A+M 4ever in it, too, since I'm apparently a twelve year old girl_.

Then he reread Merlin's text and blushed in embarrassment. He considered denying it but sighed, slowly texting back.

_How did you know?_

He climbed out of bed, desire not abated but pushed firmly out of mind.

_Why do you think I left the shirt on the bed?  
- Merlin_

Arthur shook his head but grinned. He took a cold shower, relieved when his desire finally faded, before changing back into his clothes and heading into Merlin's tiny kitchen. He searched the cupboards and fridge for something edible. There was half a pint of milk, a box of cheap chocolate cereal, and a packet of crackers. _That was it_. In the whole flat. No wonder Merlin was so skinny.

His stomach growled loudly as he texted Merlin.

_Can you not afford food or something?  
- Arthur x_

The thought worried him. He didn't think Merlin was _that _poor. Surely he could afford _food_?

His phone buzzed.

_I work three jobs, Arthur, all with decent wages. Of course I can afford to eat.  
- Merlin_

He frowned. Then _why_...?

_You have no food in the house. Do you not __**eat**__?  
- Arthur x_

He found a jar of instant coffee (he grimaced; he preferred fresh coffee rather than instant, but he was tired enough to take what he could get) and some sugar and hunted out a mug.

His phone vibrated against his thigh as he waited for the kettle to boil.

_Rarely. I don't get hungry often. My shift starts in five minutes. I'll call you later.  
- Merlin_

Arthur sighed and pocketed his phone again. Knowing Merlin he probably wouldn't call. Not out of rudeness but because he was an idiot who was even less romantic than Arthur.

He gulped down the bland coffee and, not seeing much point in sticking around in the tiny flat, left.

Morgana wasn't at the flat when he arrived home. He texted Leon to tell him to come and collect his car and collapsed on the sofa, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. It was only half past seven. It was unusual for Morgana to be out so early.

He decided to text her.

_You okay?  
- Arthur_

Her response was immediate.

_Waiting to see Uther. I expect to see you later. You said you would, remember? M _

He sighed, his heart sinking when he remembered his promise to see Uther. But he wouldn't leave Morgan to face their father alone today. Before he could tell her this she texted again.

_I know you didn't come home at all last night. I take it things are going well with your little bartender. M_

He bristled at the phrase 'little bartender'. Morgana could be a real snob sometimes. He decided to ignore her, but, like she had a fucking sixth sense, she texted again.

_By the way, Mordred will be coming over later. M_

He frowned.

_Who the fuck is Mordred?  
- Arthur_

He didn't get a reply and he swore quietly. He knew Morgana was probably smirking, glad to rile him up a bit. Christ, it wasn't even lunchtime yet and she'd already ruined his mood.

But he'd made a promise and he intended to fulfil it, even if his sister was a bitch.

He put on the expensive cologne Uther had gifted him on his last birthday and changed into a neat black suit with a red shirt, smoothing his hair down.

Time to face his father.

**0**

Arthur arrived just as Morgana was leaving Uther Pendragon's office. Her chin was jutted up, her expression as blank but her eyes told a very different story. Arthur offered her a small, apologetic smile and sympathised with anyone who dared get on the wrong side of his sister in the next hour or so.

"I take it he isn't in a good mood," Arthur murmured, waiting for Ni, Uther's PA (glorified secretary) to send him through. Really, it was bloody ridiculous, waiting for an appointment and permission from a fucking PA before he could see his own father at work.

"Still pissed off about Elena. We met up the other night and her father found out; he told Uther." Morgana shook her head. "Good luck."

Arthur snorted. He was going to need all the luck he could get and then some.

"Did you tell him about...?"

"Of course not."

"Good," he relaxed. "Thanks, Morgan."

She offered him a haughty look, winked at Ni the very straight PA and sauntered towards the elevators. Arthur was left alone. He watched as Ni fixed a cup of coffee for Uther perfectly. His father wasn't busy, of course not. He just enjoyed the power of keeping people waiting.

A low beep sounded through the large room and Ni glanced up, waving him through with a polite smile. He nodded to her before pushing open the heavy oak door, entering his father's office.

It was large and pretty much _screamed_ wealth. Uther Pendragon was a man of pride and he boasted his wealth, success and power in his surroundings. Plus it intimidated most of the people who went into his office.

On one side was a wall made entirely of glass that looked out over London, nauseatingly high up from the ground. The rest of the office was all wooden finish, tapestries, expensive furnishings and rich artwork. The desk he stood behind was heavy mahogany, carved intricately with words from another language, and the gold trimmed fountain pen in his father's hand probably cost more than his whole trust fund put together.

His father didn't look up from a manila folder in his hand but he did click his fingers at Arthur, indicating for him to sit down in one of the plush armchairs on the other side of the desk. He obliged, folding his arms over his chest as he waited for his father to decide he was worth his time.

Arthur had seen the pictures. Uther used to be handsome. But his mother died and the stress from both work and bringing up two kids showed his age. He was only slightly taller than Arthur and an equal build, but that was where the similarities ended. His skin was pale, his hair dark but now full of patches of grey. His eyes were also blue, but unlike Arthur's a pale, almost glacial colour. The wrinkles on his face and hands contrasted the cold, almost young look in Uther's eyes. Today he sported a crisp blue suit, his gold watch flashing in the sun as he rolled his wrist at his side, a habit he'd picked up a long time ago.

Sometimes Arthur pitied his father. Losing the love of his life and having to raise two young children – especially two young children who were, Arthur could admit, extremely troublesome –as well as maintaining a large company must have been difficult. But it didn't excuse his father and Arthur could also admit to sometimes wanting to see Uther Pendragon crash and burn. He loved him...but he despised him.

Finally, Uther shut the folder with a decisive sigh and smoothed out the front of his suit before easing into his chair. He gazed at his son with an unreadable expression.

"Father," Arthur greeted coolly. "I apologise for my delay in visiting you. I've been very busy."

_With the extra work you've been piling on...with a certain dark haired man you __**definitely **__wouldn't approve of...and with keeping Morgana stable..._

Uther's eyebrow twitched upwards but his response was equally calm and contained. "Don't treat me like a fool, Arthur. I've raised you for long enough to recognise your bullshit. You've been avoiding me."

Arthur shifted slightly, his temper unsettled. _Can you blame me_?

"You've humiliated and disappointed me, Arthur."

Arthur almost snorted out loud at that. When _didn't _he humiliate and disappoint Uther? It had long been the base of their relationship.

"Elena Krest is young, beautiful and talented in her field," Uther listed the girl's qualities. The only qualities he cared about; age, beauty and wealth. "And despite this, very _single_. Had you married her the Pendragon and Krest partnership would go further than romance. Our businesses were going to be aligned, Arthur. It would be a massive step forward."

Arthur remained silent, gazing back impassively at his father. It was almost a game these days to see how long it took for Uther's act of being calm to get swept away in a whirlwind of anger. Morgana always told him he was stupid for doing it and maybe he was, but his father's soft spoken but dangerous act was utter bullshit to him. There had been enough shouting when they were younger, why let Uther stop the tradition now?

"I told Jasper all about you. I fucking sang your praises. How good looking you are, how just, how talented. How you're taking everything in your stride and quickly moving up in this business. And then you made me look like a bloody _fool_!"

The last word was shouted and punctuated with a fist to the desk and Arthur felt a little smug. Less than five minutes, a new record.

"I had to sit there and _listen _to that bastard as he blamed me and my poor parenting for Morgana's corrupting Elena. There's no fucking way the Krests will even deal with us again, let alone merge businesses! And all because _you_ still act like a petulant child. Honestly, Arthur, what were you thinking, giving the poor girl to Morgana like that?"

_What? Like you were willing to give that __**poor girl **__to me_?

"Other than _I don't want to marry this girl_?" Arthur answered calmly.

A vein jumped in Uther's neck as he stood, gazing icily down at his son. "Tell me why, Arthur."

"She's not my type."

"_Not your type_?" Uther blistered and Arthur felt bad for poor Ni outside, probably pretending she couldn't hear Uther's enraged shouting. "She's beautiful, wealthy -."

"But she doesn't have a dick."

Normally Arthur would cringe at his own crassness but, really, Uther had walked right into that one.

Uther went completely still and Arthur could _see _the instant his words hit his father. His expression relaxed but his eyes were hard, his muscles held taut as the anger exploded through him, the disgust and fury and _shame_ spiralling out of control in his heart. And as much as it satisfied Arthur to affect his father so easily, it also hurt. A lot. Because all of that disgust and fury and shame was because of _him_ and something he couldn't control.

"Arthur," Uther spoke quietly, sounding tired, weary, "I am _trying_ to set up a future for you. I've given you the opportunity to run a business, to earn money, to be _successful_. Aligning with the Krests would have helped with that. I am trying to give you a good life. Yet you seem intent on doing everything you can to make my endeavour impossible. And I am _so tired_ of it."

_You're not giving me a future, you're __**limiting**__ it_, Arthur thought. But he didn't say the words out loud. He'd done so many times before and it only lead to an argument. He was sick and tired of the shouting matches with his father, of repeating the same points they'd been over hundreds of times before only to remain going round and round in stubborn circles. He refused to get dragged into it again.

He got to his feet, posture rigid, and worked to keep his expression distant. He didn't want his father – if he can even be called that – to see how much his disgust hurt him.

"I'll give Mithian your love," he said stiffly.

Approval softened Uther's expression and he nodded, leaning away from Arthur. It was a clever way of avoiding the argument. Uther still held hope for Arthur and Mithian so mentioning a visit to her was a good way of appeasing his father, even if he knew the visit was purely platonic.

He turned and made to leave, but Uther stopped him as he sat back down behind his desk.

"Are you meeting her at Aredian's?"

But, of course, Uther Pendragon was also very clever.

Arthur froze, one hand on the door handle. _Aredian's_ was the name of the bar Merlin worked at. Did his father know? His heart lurched into his throat at the thought and he turned his head to look back at the powerful man sat, languidly stretched, behind his desk.

"Father?" he managed to keep his voice steady, at least.

"I asked Morgana where you've been recently. She said _Aredian's_."

Arthur relaxed slightly. His sister was sometimes very brilliant. Uther had asked her a question and rather than being forced to tell him about Merlin, she'd avoided it by mentioning the bar instead. She'd given Arthur the opportunity to wriggle out of telling the truth.

"I've decided to get some experiences under my belt," Arthur shrugged. "You were the one who suggested it."

Uther snorted. "I didn't quite mean visiting bars that seem borderline criminal, but I'm glad you're taking my advice." His gaze hardened. "Perhaps soon you'll follow some of my other advice."

_Ah, back to that_.

In the end, it _always _came back to that. The one thing about him that infuriated his father most and the one thing Arthur couldn't and refused to change.

He took a deep breath, refusing to be baited, and opened the door.

"Goodbye, father."

He was gone before he had to listen to Uther's response.


	8. Chapter 8

Arthur was woken by a chorus of loud giggling and he groaned, opening his eyes only to wince as harsh sunlight blasted his face. He blinked, letting his eyes adjust before raising his car seat, stretching his spine to ease the burning ache.

The group of giggling schoolgirls stopped as a bus stopped by them and they boarded it. Silence fell and Arthur glanced at his clock. It was ten past eight in the morning.

He should have gone home and done some work. Checked on Morgana. Called Merlin. Instead he'd gotten into his car and didn't stop for hours, except to fill up the tank. After the particularly nasty visits with Uther, Arthur either went out and got incredibly drunk or he just _drove_ until his anger abated. Last night had been the latter. He'd left the city, nudging into the rural countryside, and had stopped at about two in the morning in the empty carpark of a small village hall in order to get some sleep.

He groaned, rolling his neck to ease the pain and got out of the car to stretch his legs. He didn't recognise the small village but, apart from the girls who'd left for school, it was pretty dead at so early in the morning. He found a small (and, thankfully, open) corner shop and bought a coffee and sandwich for breakfast. He decided to eat in his car, not wanting to draw too much attention once the village woke up a bit.

There was no way he would make it back in time for work, even if wanted to. He didn't really care. Like Uther, he tended to work from home most of the time. But before his train wreck of a meeting with his father, he'd planned to make an appearance at the office. No way was that going to happen now. Last night was a blur of anger but he knew it would take him several hours to get back.

His phone rang from the passenger seat as he tested the coffee. He grimaced; no sugar, but it was bearable. He glanced at the caller ID. Morgana. He hadn't been home last night and she knew the reason. He felt bad for letting the call ring through to voicemail – after all, she was only checking to see if he was alright and _she'd_ been on the receiving end of Uther's intolerance too – but didn't really want to speak to anyone.

But Morgana was nothing if not stubborn and the phone rang insistently several more times. Finally, sick of the incessant noise, he snatched it up to turn it off. It stopped ringing in his hand but he caught the list of missed calls before he could switch the device off; ten from Morgana, one from Merlin.

He didn't even need to think it through as he dialled Merlin's number. He just knew he wanted to hear his voice.

"Arthur?" Merlin answered.

Arthur could hear traffic in the background and glanced at the clock. Of course Merlin was already up and about.

"Hey," he greeted. "On your way to work?"

"Double shift at Jarvis'," Merlin confirmed. "I tried to call you last night."

His voice was carefully casual but Arthur could tell he'd been worried. He smiled slightly, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders, and settled back against the soft leather of his car seat.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I was...driving."

"Are you working today?"

"Nope," he replied easily. "I'm not in the city, actually. I'm...not really sure where I am. But it's small and quaint with a corner shop that serves terrible coffee."

A pause and then, "Are you alright?" Merlin sounded concerned.

Arthur rubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "I am now."

"What happened?"

"I visited my father...who is an utter arsehole," Arthur answered hesitantly. He didn't want to tell him much about his father but he _did _want to talk. "It ended as it usually does: me walking out full of anger. I drove for a few hours and stopped here."

"You just...drove...for hours?" Merlin asked. "You should have come to mine, Arthur."

Arthur smiled. "Next time." Because with Uther, there was _always _a next time.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I am now. Do you want to meet up when I get back?"

"Jarvis' at four?"

"Sure," Arthur grinned. "A woman just went past walking a _goat_. On a lead."

Merlin laughed. "You really are a city boy, aren't you?"

"Oh," he snorted. "And you aren't?"

"I've only lived in the city for a few years, Arthur. Me and Will grew up in a small village in Yorkshire before moving to London."

_Oh_. Actually, it wasn't hard to imagine Merlin as young boy in a tiny village with his best friend. Except...

"You don't have a country accent."

He didn't really have _any _accent, actually.

"My father was Irish, my mother is from Southampton originally. I used to have an accent similar to hers but...it just left, really."

"Is?"

"What?"

"You said your mother _is _from Southampton," Arthur pointed out. "So she's..."

"Alive?" Merlin finished. "Yes."

Merlin had told him during their first date that he didn't have any family, at least not any he spoke to. But his voice had been affectionate when he mentioned his mother. Arthur frowned.

"Why don't you speak to her?"

He wanted to know more about Merlin, about his past. He wanted Merlin to actually _talk _to him about things rather than remaining so bloody secretive.

"Why did meeting your father make you so angry?" Merlin shot back sharply.

_Point taken_, Arthur thought with a sigh. He'd pissed Merlin off with all the questions.

"Look, I've got to go," Merlin added flatly.

Arthur tensed. Nope, he wasn't letting Merlin push him away again. Maybe he'd been too insistent with his curiosity but he wasn't letting the other man use it as an excuse.

"We're still meeting later, right?"

Merlin was quiet for a moment before finally replying, his voice softer, "Yeah, I'll see you then."

He hung up without a goodbye, but Arthur was used to that. He smiled. Despite how close he'd gotten to an argument with Merlin, he felt better.

He finished the coffee and started the engine, preparing himself for a long journey. It was time to go home.

**0**

When he finally got back and opened the door to his flat to find a stranger sat on his sofa he sighed, shaking his head to himself. He shut the door behind him and chucked his keys onto the table.

"So far today, I've woken in a strange village still pissed off, witnessed a woman walking a goat on a lead and driven for several long hours." He announced, shrugging out of his jacket. "I presume you're not here to rob or attack me?"

The man blinked. "Um...well, no." He stood, rubbing his hands on his thighs before holding one out. "You must be Arthur."

Arthur glanced at the outstretched hand but didn't take it. "I need a shower."

He left the man in his living room and disappeared into his en suit, stripping out of the creased, uncomfortable suit. The hot water soothed his aching muscles and it felt good to wash away the feeling of grime after sleeping in his car and driving for so long. He lingered in the shower, washing his hair before reluctantly stepping out to face reality.

Dressed comfortably in old jeans and a T-shirt, he returned to the living room. The stranger was sat on the sofa, a mug of tea in front of him. Arthur eyed him speculatively before moving into the kitchen to make a decent cup of coffee.

He sat down on the opposite sofa, placing his coffee on the table between them, and slowly took the stranger in. He looked pretty young – about twenty – and lean with features still slightly soft with youth, a mop of dark brown curls and sharp blue eyes. He wore a navy cardigan over a plaid shirt, black skinny jeans and Converse. Arthur almost rolled his eyes at the outfit.

"Why are you in my flat?"

"I'm Mordred," he held out his hand again only to have it, again, ignored. He cleared his throat. "Morgana invited me over."

"Where is Morgana?"

"She grumbled something about running out of the tea she likes and left. She said she'd be back soon, though."

"Right."

They lapsed into silence. Arthur lifted his cup of coffee to his lips, watching the young man in front of him. Morgana had mentioned a 'Mordred' yesterday but hadn't explained who he was. He was very young and he couldn't figure out why Morgana would be associated with him.

The front door slammed shut and Morgana breezed into the room, a paper bag clutched to her chest. She glanced between the two men and smiled before disappearing into the kitchen to drop off the shopping.

Arthur got up and followed, closing the kitchen door behind him. "Who is he?"

"My new assistant."

Morgana was an architect and ran her own company. She'd been searching for a long time for an assistant, someone to be a glorified PA and eventually take over the company once she retired. Morgana was very picky and didn't like people in general. The fact that she'd chosen Mordred as her assistant said a lot about him already.

"_Him_?" Arthur asked incredulously. "He's practically a teenager."

"He's twenty two," Morgana rolled her eyes. "Fresh out of university, top of his class. He has a pretty impressive record."

_Twenty two_? Bloody hell, he looked younger than he really was. Morgana caught Arthur's sceptical look and raised an eyebrow.

"He doesn't have experience, granted, but trust me when I say he has intelligence and talent that almost rivals yours."

"That's lovely," Arthur folded his arms. "But why is he in my flat?"

Morgana looked down at the counter, a troubled look on her face. "I don't know much about him. He doesn't talk much about himself. But I can tell there's something not quite...right. He keeps to himself and I don't think he really has friends apart from me. I thought it'd be good if he made some male friends."

The fact that Morgana cared a lot about him already spoke volumes. Arthur sighed, tilting his head back.

"And you decided that I'd become his best friend?"

"No," she snapped. "But I thought you could help out by taking some time out of your _busy schedule_ to hang out with him. Maybe introduce him to your friends."

He opened his mouth to protest but she glared at him. With a sigh, he nodded in surrender.

**0**

Jarvis' was dead when he entered the small coffee shop. He breathed in the scent of coffee beans and glanced around for Merlin. He was about ten minutes late – he'd been drawn in by work – but Merlin was nowhere in sight.

A girl with a name badge declaring her name was _Cherry _glanced up, smiled at him, and hollered, "Merlin! Customer!"

Merlin appeared from the staff room, looking exhausted. His eyes lit up when he realised the customer was Arthur, however, and he quickly ducked underneath the counter.

"I'm taking a break."

Cherry's mouth dropped open incredulously. "I don't _think_ so."

"I wasn't supposed to be working this afternoon," Merlin gave her a sharp look. "Just give me half an hour."

Merlin wasn't really asking for permission but she struggled to maintain authority anyway, pursing her lips as if considering his request. He removed the apron around his waist and passed it to her.

"Shall we?" he nodded towards a table in the corner.

"You're getting your own drinks," Cherry called over her shoulder, disappearing into the staff room.

Merlin didn't acknowledge her remark but glanced at Arthur as he sat down. "Do you want anything?"

"Sure," Arthur settled into his seat. "Black coffee, two sugars?"

Merlin nodded and returned to the counter to make the drinks. He set them on the table between them as he sat down.

"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked.

Merlin reached up, fingers hovering above the cut before he dropped his hand back onto the table. "A little tender, but I'm good." He eyed Arthur speculatively. "What about you? Did your brief visit to the country get whatever it was out of your system?"

Arthur shrugged, taking a sip of coffee to delay his answer. Finally, he murmured, "I'm good."

"Well, I'm glad to know I'm not the only mindfuck."

Arthur raised an eyebrow incredulously at that. What he'd done was nothing in comparison with some of the weirdness Merlin had already pulled. But he remained silent, leaning forward.

"You look exhausted. How long has it been since you slept?"

"I got a couple of hours last night."

Arthur blinked, letting that sink in. The night before, Merlin hadn't slept much, had gone to work at five and worked all day. He'd only gotten a couple of hours last night and had been working a double shift. He blinked again, stunned.

"How are you _alive_?"

"Coffee," Merlin laughed, taking a sip from his drink. "I've never needed as much sleep as most people."

Arthur shook his head. "Bullshit. You definitely look like you need sleep."

Merlin's smile dropped and he looked down. A tense silence hung over them and Arthur immediately regretted blurting that out. He shifted slightly, unsure how to proceed, but Merlin's hand on his silenced him.

"I meant what I said this morning," he murmured. "Next time you're feeling like shit you can come find me."

"I know," Arthur nodded. "Thank you. And you know the same goes for you, right?"

But he doubted Merlin _would_. He didn't seem the time to seek out help or comfort if something happened.

Merlin did his thing of swiftly and subtly answering without _really _answering the question and changed the topic. They settled into a conversation that quickly grew heated and Arthur jumped when he felt Merlin's foot brush up his leg.

"Come back to mine?" he raised an eyebrow, draining his coffee cup.

Arthur closed his eyes, shifting forward in his seat when Merlin's foot travelled further up his thigh, brushing a very _intimate_ place. "Won't your supervisor complain?"

"She won't sack me," Merlin snorted. "I'm one of the few employees left. She'll bitch a bit but she'll get over it."

Arthur stood and Merlin grinned in victory. He pulled Merlin against him, tilting his head back and kissing him hard, pressing their hips together. Merlin laughed breathlessly, pulling his mouth away to drag it to Arthur's ear, sucking on the earlobe briefly before whispering something that made Arthur groan loudly.

"One thing: I want to top."

* * *

**a/n: dedicated to Lineia; your review about wanting Merlin to top made me grin like a fool :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Arthur woke up to find he was curled around Merlin, one arm flung carelessly over the thinner man's waist. He slowly pulled away and stretched, groaning slightly. He glanced at the clock. It was almost nine o'clock at night.

He gazed at the man still fast asleep beside him, glad to see he was catching up on some much needed sleep. He looked different when he was sleeping. Untroubled...peaceful. And kind of beautiful, actually.

Arthur closed his eyes, a smug smile pulling at his mouth. He'd let partners top before, of course, especially during his earliest experiences when he was still uncertain with his body. But he preferred to top, always had done. That was still true...but fuck; Merlin definitely knew what he was doing. He resolved to ensure Merlin topped more often.

He reached out a hand, dragging a fingertip down Merlin's arm. He was so skinny but there was definitely hard muscle in his lean body. He moved his hand to his chest, feeling the smooth expanse of skin before trailing down towards his flat stomach. He was so thin it concaved slightly and the thought troubled Arthur. He counted the ribs one by one before sliding his hand lower. There was no hair on Merlin's chest but there was dark hair on his lower belly, leading down underneath the covers. Arthur resisted _that _particular temptation and let his fingers dance across Merlin's wrist. The steady heartbeat thudded against his fingertips.

He glanced up at his partner's sleeping face as a sudden thought hit him. Of course, he'd been too..._preoccupied_ earlier to think of it, but now he wondered once again why Merlin always wore that strange scarf.

It probably wasn't a good idea, Arthur knew that, but he was curious. It couldn't be anything _too_ bad. He gently nudged at Merlin's shoulder and he shifted slightly, balanced precariously on one hip. Arthur continued to explore Merlin's lean body with one hand as he tried to find whatever Merlin was hiding. His other hand slid up his back, moving closer and closer to his neck.

Merlin tensed, frowning unhappily even in his sleep and it was enough that Arthur stopped entirely. If it caused that much discomfort it wasn't worth it. He shifted away and rolled onto his back, head pillowed on his arms. What could be so bad that it was worth hiding so adamantly – that it made Merlin so uncomfortable? His mind conjured up an image of the ornate gold locket and he squirmed slightly, really wishing he hadn't found it. It had only ensured more burning questions he couldn't ask, not without pushing Merlin away.

Merlin rolled onto his side to face Arthur, yawning as he opened his eyes. He smiled drowsily at him and Arthur's heart flipped at the unhindered, warm expression on the other man's face.

"I've got to be at work in an hour," he murmured. "Late shift at the bar."

"How do you even know what time it is?"

"Internal clock," he shrugged with one shoulder. "Means I'm never late for work."

"You're so bloody weird."

Merlin grinned. "Yep." He pressed against Arthur's side, kissing his shoulder. "You smell good."

"You reek," Arthur mocked, earning a laugh from the man beside him. It was a lie, though; Merlin's scent was a mixture of sex, sweat, his shampoo and the smell of _Arthur_. It was an intoxicating mix.

Merlin proceeded to press kisses along Arthur's chest and he closed his eyes at the fleeting pressure of warm, firm lips against his skin.

"Earlier was..."

"Mindblowing?" Merlin's lips curved against his skin. "Yep."

Arthur snorted. "At least you don't have bloody breakfast waiting for me this time."

"I can always make you dinner," he teased.

"What with? Cereal, crackers and milk?" Arthur shot back.

"I have some chips in the freezer."

"Delicious," he drawled. "I think I'll pass, thanks."

Merlin ignored him and continued to press hot, open mouthed kisses against his chest, trailing lower to his stomach. His teeth scraped gently just beneath his navel and Arthur inhaled sharply, his hips shifting upwards.

"Merlin," he warned. "You have to be at the bar in just under an hour."

Merlin glanced up, smirking. "There are plenty of things we can get done in that time."

His hand, slightly cold, slid to his thigh and Arthur closed his eyes, wholeheartedly agreeing with Merlin's statement. Merlin moved so his legs were on either side of Arthur's thighs and leaned down, sucking on Arthur's pulse point.

Arthur gritted his teeth, stopping any embarrassing noises, and lifted his hips. His arms snuck around Merlin's torso and he let his hands explore the skin there, trailing one fingertip down his spine (that definitely jutted out too much, he realised worriedly) and receiving a shiver in response.

His hand grew closer to Merlin's neck but he didn't seem to notice, busy kissing a trail from Arthur's collarbone to his ear. Hesitantly, aware that he was probably going to regret his action but too curious to think about it too much, he shifting his fingertips up, searching.

Finally, on Merlin's neck, he found a small patch of raised skin. He touched it, frowning, before realising it was a _scar_. A scar that would show above the collar of shirts, which explained Merlin's scarf.

Merlin froze completely and then reached a hand up, grabbing Arthur's wrist in his own, his grip tight.

"Don't," he warned.

Arthur bit his lip but couldn't resist. Before Merlin could react, he shifted his hand, quickly tracing the scar, learning its shape, and went still when he realised that the scar spelled out_ initials_.

_F.E_

His stomach twisted and he was sure for a moment that he was going to be sick. He stared up at Merlin, eyed wide, as the implications of what he'd just felt sunk in. The same initials that had been engraved in the locket had been carved into Merlin's skin, cut badly enough to leave a pretty nasty scar.

On his _neck_. Unless Merlin was a fucking contortionist, he couldn't have done it himself. Which meant _someone else _had.

In one quick, fluid movement Merlin jumped off Arthur and the bed, standing frozen like a statue. Arthur rose to his knees, reaching out towards the other man, feeling a flash of hurt when he jerked away from his touch.

"Merlin," he breathed. "What _happened_?"

Merlin's expression was like ice as he pulled on his boxers, jeans and shirt, keeping his front to Arthur so he couldn't see the scar.

"Fuck you," he said quietly. "Get out."

_Shit, shit, __**shit**_**. **Arthur had just committed a monumental fuck up. He watched as Merlin tied the scarf around his neck, hiding the scar, and tugged on his socks. His chest felt tight.

"Merlin..."

"_Get the fuck out_!"

Merlin's roar was followed by a tense silence. Arthur couldn't move. He felt like his limbs were ice. Merlin stared at him, eyes burning, before making a disgusted noise and disappearing from the room.

A few minutes later, he heard the front door slam shut. He slumped slightly, the realisation that he'd just pushed too hard, pushed Merlin away for good, sinking in. He felt hollow. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

He felt like he could still feel the raised scar under his fingertips and his skin itched. His pulse pounded in his ears, tears stinging his eyes as he thought of those initials. _Someone had carved them into Merlin's __**flesh**_. A shudder ripped through him.

An image flashed into his mind. Some unknown monster holding Merlin down, forcing his skinny body against the ground as they pressed his head down, exposing his neck. Forcing his writhing body still, muffling his screams of agony as they dug the blade of a knife through his skin, carefully, slowly marking out the initials, smearing away the blood...

Arthur shot to his feet, making it to the bathroom in time to vomit violently into the toilet. He collapsed to the tiled floor, leaning over the bowl as the contents of his stomach surged up.

Merlin had said he'd learnt some basic self defence a few years ago. After some monster had done that to him. Arthur closed his eyes, breathing heavily. He'd wanted answers and now he had them.

He pressed his forehead against the cold edge of the toilet, shuddering as the image burst into his mind again, making his stomach squeeze painfully. He swallowed back bile, remembering the feel of the _F. E_ beneath his fingers. Someone had done that to him.

_Jesus Christ_.

**0**

When he finally regained control, Arthur left the flat, knowing immediately that he wasn't going home. He needed to speak to Merlin.

Gwaine's eyes fell on him as he strode toward the bar and he immediately stepped forward to meet him, expression murderous.

"What the _fuck_ did you do?"

"Get out of my way, Gwaine."

The bouncer moved faster than he'd have thought, grabbing his collar and spinning them both around. He shoved him up against the wall harshly, making Arthur wince as pain shot up his back, and glared at him, hands still at his collar, restraining him.

"_What the fuck did you do_?"

"Is Merlin in there?" he glared back, determined. When he didn't receive an answer he blurted out another burning question, "How did Merlin get that scar?"

Gwaine froze, his expression turning first stunned, then horrified. He dropped his grip as if Arthur had burned him and stepped back, his eyes wide, terrified.

"Holy fuck," he breathed. "What have you _done_?"

Dread slid down his spine. "Gwaine, what's going on?"

The bouncer shook his head, snapping himself out of whatever had been running through his mind and turned away from him furiously.

"Get out of here," he snarled.

"I care about Merlin, okay?" Arthur argued, frustrated. "Just help me out, here. I need to speak to him."

Gwaine scoffed but didn't respond. He pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and glanced at the other bouncer.

"I'm going to call Will, tell him to get his ass here and help out," he glanced back at Arthur. "Don't let that bastard anywhere near us, Percival. Got it?"

Percival nodded, expression grim, and blocked the entrance to the bar as Gwaine disappeared inside. Arthur clenched his fists, seething with frustrated, confused anger, but the other man didn't seem to care.

Finally, Arthur gave up, turning away. The bouncer escorted him to his car and he clenched his teeth to avoid snapping out something incredibly stupid that would probably get both his legs broken.

As he climbed into his car, movement caught his eye. He looked up as Merlin stormed out of the bar, a terrifying expression on his face. He looked furious, scared..._lost_. But his jaw was set with determination.

Gwaine grabbed the bartender, pushing him against the wall, _restraining _him. Arthur blinked, surprised. What did they think Merlin was going to do? He shifted to get out of the car but the other bouncer blocked his way.

"We've got this, Pendragon," he said firmly. "Just get out of here."

He knew better than to argue. He drove home in a daze, his hands tight on the steering wheel. Morgana looked up at him, questions in her eyes when she saw the look on his face, but he didn't acknowledge her presence as he passed her, disappearing into his bedroom.

He slowly sunk onto his bed, burying his head in his hands. Whatever shit Merlin had going on, whatever was the cause of his 'quirkiness', as Morgana had put it, was a lot more fucked up than he'd anticipated.

He should walk away right now. But he couldn't. He'd fallen too deeply, too quickly, and now it was too late.

_Fuck_.

* * *

**a/n: sorry its short, but I never intended for the chapters to be as long as they have been so far...it just kind of happened. **

**This is the second upload of today (by 'today', it is 2am here in the UK) so make sure you've read the previous chapter for this one to make sense :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"Stop sulking, Arthur. You fucked up, monumentally so. Now you have to deal with it."

Arthur looked up from his laptop, glaring at his sister. "Why are you still in my flat, Morgana?"

"I don't want to go home yet."

"You could try manning the fuck up and moving out of Uther's."

"Taking your angst out on me won't help matters," Morgana remarked lightly, sitting beside him on the sofa. She peered over his shoulder and snorted. "I thought you'd established that he doesn't social network."

"What _else_ am I supposed to do?" he snapped. "He won't answer my calls or texts. His friends won't let me anywhere _near _him. I need to talk to him."

"Why don't you just leave things be? Move on, Arthur. You had a brief fling, you fucked up, he's a massive mindfuck, things fell apart. It happens all the time." At his look she raised an eyebrow. "Even if you manage to talk to him, I doubt anything will change. He's going to keep pushing you away and you're going to get hurt again. You can't change a mindfuck, Arthur."

"Because I _can't_," Arthur seethed, leaping to his feet. He paced the living room in sharp strides, shaking his head. "I think I'm falling for him, Morgana."

She snorted. "Of course you are. You're an idiot."

He threw her a look, not in the mood for her taunting. In hindsight, he probably should have given up the first time Merlin had given him the brush off. Instead he'd been a naive twat and ignored the signs. Now everything was messed up.

"You've tried the bar, I presume."

"Of course. And the coffee shop, but he managed to avoid me. And..." he suddenly stopped, realisation hitting him. "_Oh_."

Morgana raised an eyebrow in question but he ignored the irritating presence on his sofa, returning to his laptop, pulling up a search engine.

Of course, there were hundreds of cleaning companies in London. But after various searches including the area and such, he narrowed it down to a select few. He grabbed his phone and dialled in the first number.

Morgana sat beside him, silently laughing as he asked each company in turn if they had an employee called Merlin Emrys. A lot of them gave him abuse for wasting their time when he discovered that they didn't and refused to ask for a cleaner. A lot of them refused to give out employee information. Finally, just as he was about to give up, the woman on the other end of the call chuckled.

"Merlin? Sure, he's an employee."

Arthur sighed in relief. "Can I request him?"

"We don't normally get requests for a certain employee," she answered drily. "But sure. When d'you want him?"

"Tomorrow, about noon."

He finished the call and dropped his phone onto the table, a mixture of relief and anxiety surging through him. Relief that he'd finally have the chance to talk to Merlin...and anxiety that he'd actually have to _talk_, to try and talk things through. Would Merlin even stick around to let him?

Morgana smirked. "Careful, Arthur, dearest. You don't want Uther to find out about your darling cleaner."

Arthur stood, walking towards his bedroom. "I want you gone, Morgana. Now."

**0**

Merlin didn't show up.

Truthfully, he wasn't really surprised. That first night they'd spent together Merlin had been pretty drunk – they both had – but it was likely Merlin would recognise the apartment complex and guess that his latest client was Arthur.

Arthur finally gave up hope that Merlin would turn up and sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Morgana was right. Time to move on.

He went out with Leon, Elyan, Cenred and Mordred. It took Mordred a while to relax and creep out of his shell but eventually he was throwing himself into having fun, laughing with the others. Arthur got incredibly drunk and flirted with a young man he planned to take home from the night.

It was only when he decided that the man wasn't quite _right_ – he had dark hair and blue eyes but was too short and didn't have the cheekbones – that he realised he'd been trying to find someone like Merlin.

He went home alone.

**0**

Mithian turned up at the flat two days later. He wordlessly stepped aside, letting her in, and let her make herself at home as he retrieved a bottle of wine and two glasses from the kitchen. He poured them both a glass and sat beside her on the sofa.

She'd changed from her work clothes before visiting; she wore a comfortable green knitted dress and ankle boots, her hair restrained in a ponytail. She kicked her boots onto the carpet and curled her legs beneath her, levelling her gaze on him.

"Morgana said you're having problems with your love life."

"Morgana needs to keep her nose out of things that don't concern her," he grumbled, but he wasn't really surprised.

"You're her brother. Of course it concerns her." At his scathing look she gave him a stern glare. "Arthur, she's your sister and she loves you, even if she rarely shows it."

"Right," he took a drink of wine. "So she told you everything?"

She nodded, tucking a stray dark curl behind her ear. "How's the 'moving on' thing going?"

"Alright."

She nudged his thigh with her foot, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

He rubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "I've been focusing on work. I don't really want to think about Merlin. It's still...raw."

"You're finding it difficult to move on," she shrugged a bony shoulder. "That's not surprising. Morgana told me you were falling for him rather quickly."

"I don't want your psychology degree right now, Mithian."

"Merlin – it is Merlin, isn't it?" At his nod, she continued, "You want to help him."

"Yes."

"He's clearly got some...problems. Do you think you can help with them?"

"I don't know. Probably not. But I want to be there anyway. I care about him a lot, Mithian."

"Then don't move on until you truly know it is too late," her eyes were wide and bright. "Don't give up, Arthur. _Make _him listen to you, to hear you out. Give it one more shot."

He looked down into his glass and didn't reply. But he knew she was right. She usually was. It was why he valued her advice more than anyone else's. The only problem was finding Merlin to try and sort things out.

"How are things with your father?" she asked softly.

He closed his eyes, dropping his head onto the back of the sofa. "Wonderful."

"You had another row, didn't you?"

"When _don't _we?"

She was silent for a long moment before murmuring, "Just remember he's still your father, Arthur. Don't turn your back on him."

He snorted. "What? So he can spit his bigoted abuse at my face instead?"

She didn't answer, instead gazing steadily back. It was a conversation they'd had plenty of times but as stubborn as Arthur was on the matter, Mithian never gave up. He sighed, shaking his head slightly and draining his glass.

Mithian smiled gently. "Want to watch shit telly and order in pizza?"

"God, yes."

She laughed and grabbed the remote as he reached for the phone.

**0**

"Arthur."

Arthur glanced up from his work as Uther strode into his office without bothering to knock. He settled back in his chair, regarding his father calmly as he eased himself into the seat on the other side of his desk.

"Father," he greeted pleasantly.

Uther's sharp eyes scrutinised him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Arthur cleared his throat, looking away. "Do you need something?"

Uther reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and retrieved an envelope. He held it out between two fingers and Arthur took it, sliding the single card out of the envelope. It was an invitation from the Spencers to their annual dinner and ball. He was invited to bring a plus one.

"Perhaps Mithian?" Uther suggested, rising to his feet and brushing imaginary lint of his suit. "Think about it, Arthur. I expect you to be there."

_With a woman_, was left unsaid but obvious in his father's expression. Arthur didn't have the fight in him to argue anymore.

"Yes, father."

Uther smiled victoriously. "Join me for lunch."

Arthur gave a sharp nod and watched his father leave. As soon as the office door shut behind the imposing man he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. Uther wasn't even subtle in trying to control his life anymore. Why fight? His father usually got his own way in the end anyway. Arguing would only cause further misery.

Lunch was a silent, tense affair, just as Arthur expected. He left the building feeling dejected and angry. He wanted to drive but he knew it wouldn't make things better. There was only one thing that had made things better last time.

And that one thing was sat outside the door to his flat, waiting for him. Arthur stopped a few feet away, keys in hand, and stared in surprise. The other man looked up, offering a weak, apologetic smile, and Arthur cleared his throat.

"Merlin."

* * *

**a/n: this chapter is revoltingly short, but they'll get longer again next chapter, promise.**

**Thanks for reviewing :)**

**(Also, I have a tumblr if anyone wants to check it out. It really isn't that great, I'm still new to it. Link is on my profile) **


	11. Chapter 11

Merlin scrambled to his feet, smiling anxiously. Arthur hated to admit that the obvious self doubt was quite an endearing look on the other man. He noticed that Merlin's scarf was missing from his neck; he'd taken it off and was wringing it nervously in his hands.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment. Arthur gazed steadily at Merlin, refuse to give in to how nervous he felt on the inside. His meeting with his father still burned in his mind. He wasn't in the right mindset to deal with this on top of it. But he couldn't turn Merlin away...not when he'd come back.

"Can...can I come in?"

Arthur nodded and unlocked the door, letting Merlin enter the apartment first. He kicked off his shoes and threw his suit jacket carelessly onto the table in the hall. He paused before heading into the kitchen, glancing at Merlin as he eased himself into the armchair.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Merlin gave a jerky nod. "Coffee would be great."

Arthur disappeared into the kitchen and took his time making the coffee, stalling. Finally, when he couldn't linger in the kitchen for much longer, he took the two mugs into the living room and put them down on the table before sitting on the sofa opposite Merlin. The other man immediately picked up his coffee and took a long gulp. Actually, he _did _look tired.

"Have you been sleeping?" Arthur blurted the question before he could stop himself.

Merlin looked sheepish. "I was asked to do some extra shifts."

Arthur frowned but chose not to press the issue. He looked down at his hands for a moment, carefully thinking through what he wanted to say before speaking.

"Merlin, look..."

"I'm sorry."

Arthur looked up, surprised. _That _had definitely been unexpected. He settled back in the sofa, regarding Merlin cautiously. He chose to keep quiet, instead waiting for the other man to continue.

"Look, I can be a dick. I know I can. I..." Merlin shook his head, avoiding Arthur's gaze. "I'm done pushing you away. I'm sick of it. I like you, Arthur. I really do. And I want to be with you."

Arthur swallowed, ignoring the flutter of his heart in his chest to think through the situation seriously. He wanted Merlin. But he wasn't going to put up with the constant bullshit.

"You know I can't keep giving you more chances, right?" he murmured. "I can't keep doing this."

Merlin looked down. "I know."

Arthur leaned across the table, tilting Merlin's face up so he could press a quick, firm kiss to his lips. When he pulled away Merlin offered a huge smile that took Arthur's breath away. It wasn't quite the smile he'd seen in the photo in the locket, but it was good enough for him. It was stunning.

"I'm sorry for pushing you too far," Arthur apologised, sitting back. "I should have stopped when you told me to."

"I..." Merlin cleared his throat, running a hand over his neck. "I don't like it being touched."

"What happened?"

"I'm not ready to talk about it yet. I can't, Arthur. I just...can't."

Disappointment flashed through Arthur, but he understood. If Merlin asked to know about his relationship with Uther, he knew he wouldn't be ready to talk about it. It was too raw a subject.

But it hadn't been a straight out 'no'. If Arthur was impatient then maybe, eventually, Merlin would tell him. Until then he could only be there for the other man. And he planned to be.

"Can I see it?"

Merlin visibly tensed, but after a moment he gave a sharp nod. Arthur stood and Merlin turned, letting Arthur kneel and look at the scar. His stomach turned viciously at the sight of it but he kept his expression calm. He knew this was difficult enough for the other man.

The scar was pale and raw looking against his skin, raised and ugly. The _F.E _was stark on his neck, drawing attention immediately. No wonder Merlin kept it covered up. Arthur wanted to touch it, to trace it again and learn more about it, but as soon as his fingertips touched Merlin's back, the other man tensed, pulling away.

"I don't like it when people touch it," he murmured. "Even doctors. It feels...bad."

Arthur nodded in understanding and withdrew his hand. The scar showed Merlin's vulnerability. Of course he didn't like people seeing it, let alone touching it. Merlin shifted so he was sat facing Arthur and yawned, rubbing his hands tiredly like a child.

"You're really out of it," Arthur shook his head.

"Coffee will help."

"_Sleep_ will help."

"I have a double shift at seven," Merlin mumbled.

"I'll wake you up in time," Arthur assured him. "Go on, you can sleep in my bed."

Merlin opened his mouth, looking like he was going to argue, but at Arthur's stern look he closed his mouth and nodded in agreement. Arthur helped him to his feet and watched as the other man disappeared into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

He was tempted to join Merlin. But he didn't think that would be a good idea, not so soon after shit had hit the fan. He had work to do anyway. His father was being complacent for once; pissing Uther off definitely _wasn't_ a great plan.

Arthur retrieved the invitation from his pocket and looked down at the elegant script on the slip of expensive paper. _Plus one_. He glanced towards the bedroom but shut the idea down as soon as it formed. _No_. Taking a man as a date would cause a shitload of problems. His father would probably have an aneurysm. And Merlin would hate an event like that, Arthur was sure of it. Plus the idea of Uther or any of those wealthy, bigoted bastards finding out about Merlin made him feel sick. _Definitely not_.

He worked for a couple of hours and woke up Merlin. Merlin gave him a quick, firm kiss before leaving, the scarf tied defiantly around his neck.

**0**

"We need to talk."

Arthur raised an eyebrow as he glanced up at Gwaine. "Not interested."

"I'm not really giving you a choice here, princess," Gwaine sat in the booth opposite Arthur. "Merlin really likes you."

"Yes."

"When you found the scar," the Irishman continued. "I thought for a moment you'd really fucked him up. You're lucky he cares enough to come back to you."

Arthur didn't respond. He kept his gaze on the two men at the bar, getting drinks. He knew Merlin wasn't working tonight but he discovered the bar wasn't as bad as he thought. He actually quite liked going there. He'd invited Mordred to join him and Leon on another night out. The guy didn't seem so bad...but Arthur still felt there was something _off _about him.

"Just...don't hurt him, yeah?" at Arthur's sharp look, Gwaine held his hands up, looking solemn. "That isn't a threat, mate. It's a request. Don't hurt him."

"I don't plan on it," Arthur answered tightly.

Gwaine nodded, his expression relaxing. "Good. Drink?"

Arthur almost snorted. Only a few days ago the bouncer had pinned him against a wall on behalf of Merlin and now he was trying to make friends. But Arthur nodded politely anyway; he didn't want there to be animosity between him and Merlin's friends. Even if they were a bit of a twat.

Gwaine was working, but as soon as his shift ended and Percival took over, he joined Arthur, Leon and Mordred. When he wasn't being professional, he swore like a sailor, drunk like a true Irishman and flirted with pretty much everyone around him. Arthur immediately started to like him.

Merlin appeared in the early hours, just as they were leaving the bar. He grinned at Gwaine's near paralytic state but didn't look too surprised. Leon half held the bouncer up and Merlin moved to Gwaine's other side, throwing his arm over his shoulder so he carried some of his weight.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, expecting Merlin to immediately crumple. He was way too scrawny to carry someone as large and muscular as Gwaine, especially since the bloke was now pretty much dead weight. But Merlin held up easily, barely looking affected as he and Leon half dragged, half carried Gwaine out of the bar.

"I'm Mordred," the young man announced, holding out a hand. "You're a friend of Arthur's?"

Merlin hesitated before shaking the outstretched hand. "Boyfriend, actually. I'm Merlin."

Gwaine grinned and reached up a clumsy hand, dragging it down Merlin's face slowly. "Knew you'd g-get there...eventually...M'lin. Good boy."

Merlin calmly knocked Gwaine's hand away. "You could at least _try _to walk yourself. I'm not carrying your fat ass all the way to your place _again_."

"Ripped...not fat," Gwaine slurred. "Lanky twat." He gave a clumsy, half hearted punch to Merlin's ribs.

"Abuse," the bartender said lightly. And promptly let Gwaine go.

Leon crumpled under the unexpected weight and Gwaine dropped to the cold, damp ground. A long slew of colourful language escaped Gwaine's mouth as he staggered to his feet, staring mournfully at the torn knee of his jeans. Merlin grinned cheerfully, ruffling Gwaine's dark hair.

"Bed."

Merlin sighed. "Get yourself home, you drunken bastard."

"Come on," Arthur held up his car keys. "We can take my car."

Merlin smiled gratefully.

"Knew you weren't sssso bad...princess," Gwaine mumbled, awkwardly patting Arthur's chest.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at a grinning Merlin. "Well, at least he approves."

"Drunk Gwaine is harder to impress than sober Gwaine," Merlin nodded. "Since he's drunk ninety percent of the time."

Merlin threw Gwaine's arm over his shoulders again and Arthur moved to help carry the weight of the drunk man. Together they slowly helped Gwaine over to Arthur's car. Arthur unlocked the doors and Merlin helped Gwaine into the backseat before climbing into the driver's; Arthur had only had a couple of drinks, but decided it would probably be better if Merlin drove since he was completely sober.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Arthur broke the silence.

"Gwaine's pretty protective of you."

Merlin's gaze flickered to him for an instant. "Yeah."

"Is that because of the scar?"

"Partly."

Arthur nodded and glanced at the backseat. Gwaine was snoring quietly, sprawled awkwardly in the small space.

"He's grown on me," he finally murmured. "Normally when people know who I am they wouldn't dare lay a finger on me. He pinned me against a wall by my throat."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to get daddy involved?"

"No," Arthur glared out of the windshield, working to keep his voice steady. "And he's my father, not my daddy."

He glanced over to find that Merlin had a massive grin on his face. His anger melted away, replaced by bemusement.

"What?"

Merlin shook his head. "Nothing." He glanced in the mirror at Gwaine. "He's not like most men. He's loyal, he's brave to the point of stupidity and he's not afraid of people like your father."

"Sounds like a good friend."

"He is," Merlin nodded. "He's one of the best men I know."

Arthur stared at the bartender, noticing something about him he hadn't before: he was loyal, incredibly so. Once he was loyal to someone, he'd do anything for them. He wasn't sure if that was a good trait or one that would cause problems.

"How did you two meet?" Arthur asked. "Work?"

"Sort of," Merlin drummed his fingers against the steering wheel but didn't seem bothered by the questions. "He was already a bouncer when I got my job at the bar. But we didn't really talk. Then one night two guys waited in the car park for me to finish work. When I did, they started following me home. Apparently I'd barred the brother of one of them the week before and so they planned on beating the shit out of me in response.

"Thankfully, Gwaine's a damn good bouncer. He noticed them lurking about and when they started following me, he also followed to make sure I got home safely. When one of them went to attack, he took them both out and called the cops on them. A couple of nights later we went for a drink and it was just instant friendship."

Arthur looked at Gwaine again, seeing him in a new light. He hadn't even _known _Merlin and he'd stepped in to help him. Maybe he wasn't a total dick. Or maybe he was only a dick to certain people – like Arthur.

"What about Will?"

Merlin blew out a breath. "Nothing quite as exciting. It's the usual story with best friends. Our mum's were close friends. We were born in the same ward only a couple of days apart. We've been best friends since we were little kids. He's the only one who has always accepted me, no matter what shit I get myself into. He's always been there for me."

Arthur smiled. He didn't really have anything quite like Merlin had – a best friend like Will and a friend like Gwaine – but he had people who were close.

"Gwen?"

"She helped me learn the ropes when I first started working at the coffee shop. She's lovely."

Merlin was loved. Arthur wasn't sure why he was so surprised. Maybe because Merlin was so reserved and...well, slightly messed up. He expected him to live a lonely life. But he definitely had friends around him who were loyal, supportive and adored him.

So why the tiny, lonely flat and weird behaviour? Why was he so...not broken, but not exactly right, either. It didn't make sense.

"I thought you said you catch the bus everywhere?" He was surprised Merlin wasn't getting sick of the questions. He would have been by now.

"I can't afford a car. But Will's dad taught me to drive when I was younger."

"Do you have a license?"

Merlin answered with a mischievous grin and Arthur shook his head, settling back into his seat. After a few minutes of silence he pulled up outside a small, tidy house that had been split into two flats. Gwen, the bouncer Percival from the other night and another man were waiting outside.

Merlin helped Gwaine out of the car and passed him over to Percival, who held him upright easily.

"Guys, this is Arthur," Merlin introduced. "Arthur, you know Gwen, and these are Percival and Lance."

"Merlin," Gwen smiled warmly. "Come in for a drink?"

Merlin glanced at Arthur. "Actually, I was thinking we could go for a drink?"

"I need to get home. I've got to be at work early tomorrow. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

Merlin nodded. "Sure."

He leaned down, keeping their kiss chaste for the others, and relished the feel of Merlin's body against his before pulling away.

**0**

"Get up."

He opened his eyes to glare at Leon. "Why?"

"You have work and I'm not going to risk my ass covering for _yours_ if you're too lazy to come in again."

Arthur huffed and shifted himself so he sat upright on the sofa rather than sprawled haphazardly.

"I can work from home."

"I thought things were going well between you and Uther," Leon remarked, sitting in the armchair.

"Doesn't mean I'm in the mood to speak to him."

"Avoiding him won't help improve your mood."

"My mood was perfectly fine until you walked in," Arthur snarked. "Tell Uther I'm sick."

"With what? A hangover?" A wicked grin brightened Leon's face. "Or _lovesick_?"

Arthur's head snapped up, his expression serious. "You can't tell my father about Merlin."

Leon's face fell and he looked away for a moment, sighing softly. "Arthur..."

"I'm not asking you to lie, Leon. Just don't mention him. What my father doesn't know won't hurt him...or anyone else."

"You think he'll do the same to Merlin as he did to Jack?" Leon regarded him with kindness in his eyes. "You think _Merlin_ will let him?"

Arthur almost smiled. He could imagine how Merlin would react to Uther trying to invade his life. Bloody hell, the lanky bartender would definitely give Uther a run for his money. But...

"I'm not taking the risk," Arthur answered defiantly.

"Alright, I won't mention anything," Leon promised, a troubled frown on his face. "Arthur, what happened to Jack was Uther's doing, not yours."

"I know."

"_Do _you?" Leon gave him a shrewd look. "Maybe you should give Merlin some warning, just in case."

Talk to Merlin about how much of a bastard Uther Pendragon really was? Fuck that.

"Fine, I'll come into work."

Leon shook his head at Arthur's blatant disregard for his advice but didn't press the issue. Arthur watched him go before hauling himself from the sofa to shower and dress. He didn't particularly want to face Uther, but he didn't want to anger his father, not at the moment.

And there was absolutely no way he was going to let what happened to Jack happen to Merlin.

* * *

**a/n: this chapter is really bad, I'm sorry. I had really bad writer's block the last few days and the only way to get rid of it was to write my way out of it...which is why this chapter is so appalling.**

**I have coursework and I need to get stuck into some solid revision soon for my A2 exams, but I will try to keep my updates frequent.**

**The whole thing with 'Jack' will be revealed pretty soon :)**

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**Sherlocked95**


	12. Chapter 12

"Good to see you working, son. You've been absent from the office so much recently that I thought you'd resigned without telling me."

Arthur looked up from his laptop as his father strode into the small room he used as an office at home.

"How...?"

"Morgana allowed me to borrow her key."

_Of course she did. Bitch._

"Do you need something?" Arthur closed his laptop, folding his arms over his chest. Imposing as his father was, this was _his _flat, _his _territory. "I'm busy."

Uther ignored the biting attitude behind Arthur's words, his mouth curling into a smile. It wasn't really pride. More like victory. "You have a good work ethic, Arthur. You'll be remarkable once you take over."

Arthur leaned forward, ignoring the pseudo-praise. It wasn't really aimed at him, anyway. Uther was just congratulating himself. Like a dog that had fought viciously for a bone and won. Arthur almost snorted at the image his mind conjured. Yes, Uther Pendragon definitely thought himself an alpha dog when it came to business. Perhaps he was. He certainly wasn't a _bad _CEO. He ruled with an iron fist, sure, but he was also just and generous to his employees and he even gave back to the environment. He had money running into various charities. His company was one of the elite when it came to success on a global scale.

He'd been born into money and offered work at his father's company. Instead he chose to build his own empire and he damn well did, clawing his way to the top and ruthlessly collapsing his father's business and many others in the process. And there he sat, king of the fucking castle, shitting on everyone else from the top.

But being good at his job didn't make him a good man. In fact, he was pretty bloody ruthless and manipulative but, worse, he was remarkably intelligent and that fed his worst traits. It made Arthur sick when the slime ball corporate tossers that Uther socialised with 'complimented' him by saying he was just like a young Uther.

"Is there something you need?" he asked flatly, all business.

Uther smiled. "The Savoy, seven o'clock tomorrow."

A cold feeling settled in Arthur's stomach. This wasn't the first time Uther had done this and he doubted it'd be the last. But he asked the stupid question anyway.

"Why?"

"You have a date."

"With who?"

"Francesca Odette Vandeveir," Uther drawled the name. "Have fun."

He turned to leave without even a goodbye. Sudden anger shot through Arthur and the question blurted from his mouth before he could stop it.

"And which corporate twat you're hoping buttfuck businesses with is she the daughter of?"

Arthur regretted the words as soon as he said them. Oh, this wasn't going to be pretty. This was going to be a fucking full score on the Richter scale.

"Watch your tongue, boy," Uther warned quietly, dangerous. "That was a very stupid and incredibly dangerous thing to say. You've still got a lot to learn and I can tear you down and kick your petulant arse out of the business faster than you could blink."

Arthur bit his tongue, wisely choosing to remain silent. All things considering, the threat was hardly a new one and he'd been expecting a lot worse in relation to his reckless comment. He'd gotten off lightly.

Then Uther shot him a dark look over his shoulder and Arthur felt like his lungs were stuffed with cotton.

"And as for the _buttfucking_ remark," Uther added venomously. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not one of _your _filthy kind."

It felt like he'd been punched in the chest. His hands tightened on the corner of his desk, his breath freezing in his lungs. He could do nothing but stare at his father.

Uther was incredibly clever and bloody brilliant with words. He knew how to make the sly digs and subtle remarks to hurt Arthur. But there were rare times, like just then, when he'd be blunt and say the things that felt like he was ripping Arthur's heart clean out of his chest and throwing it in the fire, simply to watch it burn to nothing.

Arthur told himself he didn't care. That he'd grown up with the bigotry and contempt from his father. That he was used to it and he didn't need his father in his life anyway. But as much as he tried to tell himself that, he _did _care and it still hurt. Fuck, did it hurt. Like a hammer to the ribs kind of hurt. And he hated himself for still loving his father, for giving him the power to make him hurt so much.

He felt...disgusting. Weak.

Slowly, Arthur swallowed. Uther stared him down until he dropped his gaze to the desk, hating the act of submission to the bastard in front of him, before leaving the office. Arthur heard the front door close with a soft click and exhaled sharply, dropping his head until it banged on the smooth surface of his desk.

He could drive. He could find Morgana and tear her apart for giving Uther the means to invade his home as well as every other aspect of his life. Hell, he could do some really fucking stupid shit in the hopes it would make him feel better.

His hand flexed, fingertips gliding over polished wood until they brushed cold, slender metal. He lifted his head just enough to the screen and stabbed it until it dialled Merlin's number. Then both head and hand dropped dramatically back onto the desk with a dull _thunk_.

"I'm at work," Merlin drawled without a greeting. "So if you want to talk, pretend you want my housecleaning services. You know, floors scrubbed, pipes cleaned – and, no, I didn't mean that as a terrible opening to a badly funded porno."

Someone called something in the background and Merlin shouted back a word Arthur didn't understand. From the tone of Merlin's voice, it sounded like an insult.

"Arthur?" Merlin spoke into the phone. "If this is a pocket dial, I'm going to spend a moment appreciating just _where _in your pocket I might be right now and then hang up."

"Are you busy?"

It came out muffled, his lips pressed against the now warm surface of the desk. It was a stupid question, really. Merlin had just said he was at work.

Merlin must have heard something in his voice because he paused.

"Nothing I can't get out of," he said cautiously. "What's up?"

"My father's an arsehole."

"I can be there in half an hour."

"No," Arthur blurted, raising his head and wincing as the movement tugged a muscle in his neck. "You're working. It's fine."

"Arthur," Merlin sounded impatient. "I'll be there in half an hour."

He hung up before he could protest. Arthur gaped at the screen for a moment before huffing, dropping his head onto the desk. He stabbed blindly at the phone until he heard the click of it going onto lockscreen.

Merlin was coming. Here. To his flat.

_To his flat_.

_Shitshitshitshit -._

A long stream of unintelligible noise (Arthur was pretty sure it was mostly swear words) streamed from his mouth as he shot to his feet, loudly shouting something that sounded rather like "_motherfucker_" as he banged his hip on the corner of his desk in his haste to get out of the tidy, almost clinical office and into the mess he called a flat.

He tackled the easy ones first; the few mugs littered around the place, the untidy kitchen, the clothes strewn carelessly in his bedroom. Then he stared guiltily at the mess on the coffee table.

Elyan and Ben had been over last night for pizza, beer and shit TV. He had yet to clean up the empty cans and pizza boxes.

He wondered what Uther had thought when he'd walked past the mess.

Thinking of his father reminded him of his parting comment and Arthur's rage and hurt built up again. That same feeling, like his ribs were snapping into his heart, returned.

_Fuck it_.

He concentrated on the task at hand, distracting himself from darker thoughts. He finished cleaning only minutes before there was a knock on the door.

"Hey," he greeted Merlin, stepping aside so he could enter the flat.

Merlin gave him a shrewd look, lips curving into a sly smile. "You just spent the last half hour cleaning, didn't you?"

Arthur groaned. Damn Merlin for seeing straight through him. Merlin smiled, shut the door behind him and wordlessly stepped forward, tugging Arthur into an embrace. Arthur released a slow breath and slid his arms up Merlin's back, holding him back. Despite the very slight (Arthur was adamant about it being slight) height difference, Merlin tucked his head against Arthur's collarbone, his lips against the skin of Arthur's neck.

Merlin stroked gentle circles against his spine and gradually Arthur relaxed, feeling like he was being soaked in bliss. After several minutes (though he could have stood there for a lot longer; Merlin was surprisingly good at hugging, his frame warm and plaint, contradicting how bony it was) Merlin nuzzled Arthur's throat slightly and pulled back.

"So," he smiled cheerfully. "What's this all about?"

"My father's an arsehole," he repeated his words from earlier.

Merlin gazed at him. He didn't offer false sympathy or shit advice or, worse, counter it with a tale of woe about his own parents. He was just waiting for Arthur to be ready. He was being understanding. And it made him want to laugh because it was so bloody ironic considering how tense and secretive Merlin was about his own baggage. How could he be so distant and gloomy one minute and so warm and understanding the next? He was so fucking paradoxical he belonged on an episode of _Doctor Who_.

"Most fathers are," Merlin offered after a moment, smiling when Arthur laughed. "I'm shit at this."

"No, you're actually really not."

Oh sweet fucking hell, he was going to cry. He was going to bloody cry like a child because his sodding father had managed to cut right through him yet again.

Merlin grasped Arthur's face, thumbs caressing his jaw gently. "I'm here for you. But just so you know, I'm shit with crying."

Arthur wordlessly grasped Merlin's hand, tugging him towards the bedroom. He didn't want sex. This wasn't lust or attraction. This was _Merlin_, the man he was falling for, and he needed that comfort right now. He lay flat on the bed and Merlin didn't hesitate, curling up beside him. He let Arthur hold him and held him back.

"So," Merlin spoke after a moment, his tone easy, conversational. Bloody hell, he _was_ so good at this. He knew exactly what Arthur needed and was willing to give it no matter what. "There was this utter dickweed at the bar last night, mouthing off at Mickey because he's messed up an order..."

Merlin continued to ramble on ceaselessly about trivial things. Eventually Arthur didn't really pay attention to _what_ he was saying, he just listened to the sound of Merlin's voice, letting it soothe him. And Merlin wasn't talking to tell him anything. He was talking to comfort him.

Eventually, Merlin _did _stay quiet for longer than two seconds and they remained in comfortable silence for a long time, content in one another's presence. Merlin was curled against Arthur, his head on his stomach and one arm thrown carelessly over his lower thighs. Arthur carded his fingers through Merlin's mop of dark hair absently.

Then a thought struck him and he lifted his head from the pillow, peering down at Merlin.

"You ditched work to be with me."

Merlin didn't waste effort lifting his head, instead rolling his eyes upwards to look at Arthur. "They can sack me if they want. It's a shit job anyway. I still have my wages from working at the bar and Jarvis'."

"But still..." Arthur murmured wonderingly. "I didn't even say I needed you yet you dropped everything to help me anyway." No one had done that for him. Shit, he was getting the warm fuzzies again. Damn Merlin for being surprisingly caring in his own endearing way.

"You sounded really torn up on the phone. I was concerned you were going to do something incredibly stupid."

"What, like you?"

Arthur regretted saying it immediately but Merlin merely tilted his head slightly, smirking.

"Darling, you have _no _idea," he responded, tone dry as dust, and pressed a feather light kiss to Arthur's hip. "You didn't need to say you needed me, Arthur. You calling was enough. So here I am."

"Thank you."

They lapsed back into silence, broken only by Merlin's occasional hum as Arthur scratched his scalp soothingly. Arthur felt relaxed. _Better_. Merlin had completely turned his mood around without even doing much. Fuck driving aimlessly, Merlin was his new method of de-stressing after an encounter with Uther.

His very own human stress ball. He snorted at the image.

Merlin rolled onto his stomach so he lay on his front on Arthur's legs, his arms on his stomach and his chin propped on his hands. He looked up at him.

"So, want to talk about it?"

"Nope," Arthur shook his head. "Definitely not."

Merlin paused.

"Want to eat a tub of ice cream?"

"No," Arthur rolled his eyes. "Because I'm not a bloody fifteen year old girl, Merlin."

Merlin smirked. "Oh, believe me, I'm _fully _aware that you're not a girl."

Arthur laughed at that, his head dropping back against the pillow, but Merlin's teasing words reminded him of the phone call earlier. He'd been too caught up with sulking after Uther's visit to really pay attention to what Merlin had said, but now he thought about it...

"Merlin," Arthur peered down at him. "On the phone earlier, did you mention _pornography_?"

Merlin's mouth curled into a wicked grin. "I may have made a housecleaning joke about cleaning your pipes."

Arthur made a disgusted noise and shoved Merlin off the bed. He sprawled on the floor, laughing, and Arthur shook his head.

"Come on," he muttered, getting to his feet and stepping over Merlin's body. "I'm calling in some pizza and we're watching some shit kung fu films."

"Bruce Lee shirtless? I'm in."

"_Mer_lin."

Merlin simply looked at him smugly.

They ended up watching films all evening and finished two large pizzas between them. Arthur had never seen Merlin eat so much in one go and made a mental note to make pizza more often. Merlin needed to put on some weight; a stomach that concaved was just too bloody skinny.

After a while, Merlin dozed against Arthur's shoulder, snuggling against him as Arthur wrapped an arm around him. It took him half an hour before he realised what the situation was.

"Are we..._cuddling_?"

"Yes, Arthur," Merlin huffed. "It's what people do when they're in a relationship. They cuddle."

"I think I need to have a talk with you about the birds and the bees..."

"You've already done that, _with _demonstration," Merlin shot back. "Have you seriously never cuddled before?"

"Nope."

"Emotionally stunted," Merlin accused.

"I can't believe I'm being lectured on cuddling and relationships by _you_."

Merlin grinned. "Do you want the strange phenomenon of cuddling to stop?"

"No."

"Then shut up."

"Idiot," Arthur grumbled.

"Prat."

**0**

The evening wasn't about sex. It was about _them_. And...the cuddling had been nice. Oddly nice.

Christ, if Morgana knew he'd not only cuddled on the sofa but _enjoyed_ it she'd have fucking field day.

But Arthur couldn't resist ducking into the bathroom as Merlin was in the shower and joining him under the hot spray. Merlin hummed slightly as Arthur slid his arms around his waist, pressing his nose and lips against his sharp shoulders.

"I'm surprised I didn't cut myself when we were cuddling."

"I'm not _that _skinny," Merlin grumbled.

"I could play a tune on your ribs," Arthur remarked, sliding his fingers down Merlin's ribs one by one, smiling when the other man shivered pleasantly.

"You're just jealous, you fat git."

Arthur snorted and kissed his shoulder blade. The scar was so close to his face but Merlin didn't seem concerned about Arthur seeing it. He was relaxing around him, _forgetting _about it. Arthur smiled at the thought.

"So," he said casually. "I have a date tomorrow evening."

Merlin snorted. "Should I be worried?"

"Jealous?"

"Hardly?" Merlin turned, smirking. "I mean, who would want to date you?"

"You."

"Nah, you just followed me home like a lost puppy."

Arthur kissed him slowly, shutting the other man up before pulling back to speak.

"Her name is Francesca. My father is making me go on a date with her tomorrow at the Savoy."

"Fancy."

"I'll take you there one day," Arthur promised, and he fully intended to. "Look...I have to go. But nothing will happen. I'll tell her I'm gay and set things straight. Is...is this okay?"

Merlin's expression was serious. "Look, it doesn't take a genius to guess at what is going on with you and your father. I won't pretend to understand but I can deal with it, just as you're dealing with the things I'm not ready to talk about." He suddenly smiled. "But if you so much as _kiss_ her, I don't need to threaten you because you already know Gwaine will kick your ass."

"I'm not interested," Arthur grinned. "For one, she's a girl. She doesn't have a particular something I'm interested in." He glanced down at the _something_ in question, relishing Merlin's blush. "I doubt she has a mop of dark hair," he nuzzled Merlin's hair. "Or a ridiculously bony body," he pinched Merlin's tiny waist delicately. "And I _very _much doubt she has your cheekbones." He did something he'd wanted to do for a long time: he licked along one of Merlin's sharp cheekbones.

Merlin grimaced, swiping at his cheek. "You disgust me."

Arthur laughed and shut the shower off, grabbing two towels for them.

"Stay tonight?" Arthur asked as he pulled on a boxers and a T-shirt. "You can borrow some of my clothes."

"I'm working tonight," Merlin sighed. "Sorry. But tomorrow night, after your date?"

"Sure. I'll text you."

Merlin pocketed his phone and keys and leaned forward, kissing Arthur firmly. "Enjoy your date."

"Doubtful, but I'll try," he cupped Merlin's face, sucking at his lower lip. "What'll you be doing while I'm on my date?"

"Working."

"You work too much."

"Says the heir to one of the country's largest corporate businesses," Merlin teased. "I really need to go. I'll be late."

He kissed Arthur once more and left. Arthur locked the door behind him and went straight to his bedroom, exhausted.

After all, he needed his beauty sleep the night before his bloody _date_.

* * *

**a/n: dedicated to Rhiannon, the Amy to my Doctor.**


	13. Chapter 13

Francesca was late.

Arthur had researched the Vandivier's background in his free time. He got what he expected: Francesca was the only daughter (and therefore only heir) to Don Vandivier, a French tycoon with a business quickly increasing its global network. Yet another contact for Uther to put in his address. It wasn't about making allies. It was about keeping an eye on his rivals.

Francesca was young, beautiful, had a wonderful education courtesy of her father's generous investment in her future and had dated the various celebrities of the month. Like Arthur, she was being trained to take over her father's business. So, of course, if Arthur was to date Francesca, he could not only keep an eye on the Vandiviers for Uther, but it would be beneficial for both businesses to align.

Uther Pendragon never bothered to be subtle anymore. He knew that Arthur knew _why _he was setting him up with these women. But he didn't really give Arthur much choice anyway.

Arthur had been seated at the table that had been booked for them for a whole half an hour before Francesca breezed into the room, a smile on her full lips.

She was tall and slender, with dark red hair cut short in a pixie style and swept messily to the side, her fringe hanging in brown eyes rimmed with eyeliner. Her nose was pierced with a gold loop. She wore an expensive black dress with a chunky gold cardigan and black heels. She had a tattoo of a butterfly, placed rebelliously in plain sight on the side of her neck.

She was one of those girls that hated the idea of conforming to the stereotype of the spoiled daughter with a rich daddy so much that they became another irritating cliché.

"Francesca," he greeted politely, standing and holding out his hand. "I'm Arthur."

She shook his hand briefly, long, painted silver nails gleaming in the candlelight, and took her seat.

"Frankie," she corrected him with a grimace. "Only my father calls me Francesca."

They ordered, they ate, and they conversed. It was _incredibly _dull. It was ten minutes into listening to the girl ramble on about how furious her father had been when she'd briefly been an apprentice to a mechanic that Arthur gave up any semblance of being polite and feigning interest in what she was saying.

"Frankie," he cut in.

She looked at him sharply, surprised at his interruption. "Yes?"

"I'm gay."

She stared at him for a long moment before slumping in her chair, exhaling sharply. "Well, thank _fuck _for that."

Arthur smiled. "I take it you were forced on this date too?"

"Yep," she smirked. "Daddy caught me screwing the cleaner. The _female _cleaner."

Arthur almost laughed at the irony. His father hated him for being gay and had forced him on a date...with a girl who was also gay and had been forced into the date. Uther would probably have an aneurysm if he found out.

"Want to get some ice cream?" he offered.

Frankie grinned. "Why the fuck not?"

One thing Arthur learned that evening: Frankie swore a _lot_.

Frankie programmed her number into his phone before they parted ways. Arthur wasn't really interested in keeping contact. Spoilt and ironically anti-elitist wasn't traits he was attracted to. But he kept the number for Morgana. She'd lap up the opportunity to open Frankie's sheltered eyes to the big, wide world...and get a good shag in the process.

Arthur texted Merlin from the back of a cab.

_Date's over. Want to meet?  
- Arthur x_

He was almost home when he finally got a response.

_Not even a goodnight kiss? Poor girl. I'm working. Mick called in sick so I've got an extra shift. Tomorrow?  
- Merlin_

Arthur sighed, slightly disappointed, but sent back a confirmation and pocketed his phone as he entered his flat. It beeped again seconds later, but it wasn't Merlin.

_Get your glad rags on. We're going out. – M_

Arthur rolled his eyes but left his flat again, agreeing to meet Morgana at her favourite restaurant.

**0**

Morgana didn't go to bars or clubs. She'd recovered from her addiction to alcohol but to go to places with so much alcohol, enough to tempt the strongest person, was an idea they'd both agreed wasn't wise.

So they tended to meet in a small, kitschy restaurant. There was still alcohol, of course, but not quite as prominent as in bars.

"I have a present for you."

Morgana raised a dark eyebrow in question and Arthur told her all about Frankie. Morgana's green eyes lit up with interest as he told her what Frankie was like; his sister loved women like her. He let her copy the number from his phone, grinning at the cat like smile on her face. He wished Frankie luck.

"So," she drawled, taking a sip of coffee. "How are things going with Merlin?"

"Good," Arthur paused before admitting, "We...cuddled."

Morgan laughed, shaking her mass of dark hair out. "Aw, is little Arthur finally growing up? Am I going to have to give you _The Talk_?"

"Piss off," he grumbled. "Also, fuck you. Why did you give Uther your key?"

Morgana's expression fell and she sighed, tapping her thumbnail against the table. "You know what he's like, Arthur. He gets in my head. I'm sorry."

"I'm changing my locks and you're not getting a bloody key," Arthur muttered but there was little anger in his voice. He _did _know Uther, knew how he manipulated and bullied, and he couldn't really blame his sister.

"Did he invite you to the Spencers ball?"

"Yes," Arthur nodded. "With plus one. I'm sure he expects me to take Frankie." He paused before asking, "Did he invite you?"

"Of course not," Morgana laughed bitterly. "Don't be ridiculous."

There was nothing Arthur could say. The situation was so familiar now that, really, there was nothing left _to _say. He simply reached out and took his sister's hand in comfort.

Damn his father.

**0**

The sound of his phone ringing woke him up. He groaned, blindly scrabbling at the bedside table until his fingers found the cold metal of his phone. He held it above his face and swore when the light of the screen assaulted his eyes. He didn't recognise the number. He glanced at the clock in the corner of the screen and swore again, louder. Four o'clock in the fucking _morning_.

"Pendragon," he snapped into the device.

"Princess," Gwaine greeted, his voice tight.

"Gwaine?" Arthur rubbed a hand over his face, yawning. "How did you get my number?"

"Merlin left his phone at the bar. I got it from there." Gwaine spoke quickly and there was obvious worry in his voice. "Look, is he with you?"

"No," Arthur sat up, alarmed. "He said he had an extra shift at the bar."

"He did, but he left the bar in the early hours. He looked a little off but it was only when I saw he'd left his phone behind that I started to think..." Gwaine trailed off. "He wouldn't just forget his phone. He left it deliberately. He doesn't want anyone to contact him."

"Are you sure something is wrong?" Arthur demanded, clambering out of bed and switching on the light.

"I'm not certain, but..." Gwaine trailed off.

"I'll find him."

Arthur hung up and threw his phone on the bed. He pulled on the first clothes he found, shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed his keys from the counter, rushing out of his flat. It was early enough that traffic was dead and he made it to the area where Merlin lived quickly. He hammered on Merlin's door, but there was no response. None of the lights were gone. It seemed dead.

"_Fuck_," Arthur swore, banging his fist once more against the door.

"He's on the roof."

Arthur's head snapped up and he stared at Will. The other man stood a few doors down, hands deep in the pockets of his coat as he hunched against the cold wind. He looked tired but entirely calm. Still, Arthur's chest constricted at his words.

"He's _what_?" he snapped.

"Calm down," Will rolled his eyes, hands held up in a placating manner. "It's nothing as dramatic as you're thinking. Merlin's anything _but _suicidal." He smiled a secretive smile that made Arthur want to punch him in the face.

Arthur pushed away from Merlin's door, turning to face the other man and bracing his shoulders. "_Well_?"

Will muttered something that sounded like "_arrogant prat_" under his breath and the familiar insult sent a jolt through Arthur. He'd heard Merlin say it enough times, mostly in regards to him.

"Gwaine called me earlier," Will shrugged. "It took me a while, it usually does, but I finally dragged it out of Merlin. Some wanker in the bar insulted him and it hit pretty close to home. He needed some time away to think."

_Away from Gwaine and his friends, away from __**me**_.

He knew he hadn't really integrated with Merlin's friends so far, apart from maybe Gwaine, but it still hurt that he'd apparently been the last one to be called about Merlin's disappearance.

Even though Will was Merlin's best friend and obviously straight as a ruler, Arthur still felt a hot spike of jealousy. When he'd needed Merlin, he'd been there. But Merlin hadn't come to him for help or comfort. It should have been him to find Merlin and help him. Not Will or anyone else.

Apparently this was clear in his expression because Will snorted.

"You're his bloody boyfriend, not me," he pointed out. "This is your job. It's almost five in the fucking morning and I should be tucked up in my warm bed with my girlfriend and instead I'm here."

Arthur stared him down, not caring for the sob story.

"Look, he didn't seek out my help. I just knew where to find him. For future reference, whenever Merlin needs to think or just get away, he goes up to the roof." Will patted him on the shoulder as he passed. "Like I said, this is your job."

Arthur didn't grace that with a response, instead making his way up the roof. The only access was via a ladder and he grimaced as the cold metal, slick from rain, bit into his palms. Once he emerged on the roof, he winced. His coat didn't protect him much from the cold weather. Up so high with nothing to block the wind's path, it roared against him, gnawing at his bare skin.

Merlin was sat cross legged, close to the edge of the roof, staring off into the distance. At least he'd had the good sense to put on a warm coat. Arthur sat next to him. It was cold, the freezing, gravelly feeling of the roof was uncomfortable against his ass and he was exhausted. He knew for a fact only Merlin bloody Emrys was the only person in the world who he would sit on a fucking rooftop in shit weather at five in the morning for.

He glanced at Merlin before following the direction of the other man's gaze. He was momentarily stunned by the view.

It was wonderful. He could see across a good portion of the city, tall, gleaming buildings rising up from the ground, towering over the smaller ones. Far below, he could barely see the roads and the few cars crawling along them. In the distance, the sun rose steadily, painting the sky with a variety of strong colours and reflecting of the windows of the skyscrapers.

It was oddly...beautiful. Being so set apart from society at so early in the morning but seeing how glorious it was. And that view came from _here_, the really shitty part of the city that tourists avoided. It was remarkable.

He looked at Merlin again. Of course it would be him to discover this incredible benefit of the crap area he lived in.

He noticed with relief that Merlin didn't look upset or troubled. He looked tired but peaceful. There was a cigarette held expertly between his pale, work calloused fingers and he put it to his lips. He held the smoke in his lungs for a moment before tilting his head back and closing his eyes, blowing it free. A cloudy plume billowed into the air, shattered almost immediately by the wind.

Arthur gazed at the pale column of Merlin's exposed throat for a moment before reaching out and swatting Merlin's hand, causing him to drop the cigarette. It rolled straight of the edge of the roof. He wasn't entirely sure why he did it. He didn't smoke himself but he'd never had a problem with people he did. He just didn't like seeing something so unhealthy and artificial abused so expertly by Merlin.

Merlin licked his lips, as if savouring the taste of smoke in his mouth, before smiling. "I quit two months ago anyway."

"So it's going well, then?" Arthur couldn't help but point out.

Merlin rolled his neck to look at him and his grin widened. "Self righteousness isn't a cute look on you, love."

"I'm not -."

"It'll kill you, ruin your lungs, age you before your time," Merlin mimicked a high pitched voice. "I've heard it all before."

"You want to fuck your health up, you go ahead," Arthur replied calmly. "Just don't do that shit around me." He gazed at the other man, raising an eyebrow. "This your attempt at pushing me away again? Because it is fucking four in the fucking morning and I'm sat on a fucking roof in the cold, so I'm not in the fucking mood, okay?"

Merlin grinned lazily and mouthed the word, "_Fucking_."

Arthur nearly lost his patience entirely at Merlin's obvious amusement and he took a deep breath.

"So," he murmured. "Want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

He couldn't help but grin. "Want to eat a tub of ice cream?"

"No, because I'm not a fifteen year old girl."

He laughed and after a moment Merlin joined in, shifting closer to him. He slid his arm around Merlin's shoulder and felt his anger ebb away.

"You know, in future, you could come to me rather than sitting alone on a roof like a freak."

Merlin made a hum that sounded like agreement but Arthur knew he was merely avoiding answering. He doubted Merlin _would_ seek out his help or comfort in future. Either too proud or used to dealing with his baggage alone.

"What did the prick at the bar say?"

"The usual homophobic bullshit," Merlin shrugged.

Arthur spent a moment thinking about that. Merlin had dealt with homophobes before. He'd even admitted that it was a regular occurrence at the bar. So whatever this bloke had said was different because it had struck a chord. It must have been familiar to Merlin, something that hurt.

Maybe his mother? Merlin had said he didn't speak to her. It made sense that the reason would be a homophobic attitude from his mother, maybe even insults and abuse. The idea comforted Arthur, to know that perhaps Merlin was more like him than he thought, that he shared in the constant struggle of having a parent like that, but it also made him feel sad. Merlin shouldn't have gone through that...he didn't seem strong enough. And from a _mother_, the very person who was supposed to love and protect him most in the world?

"So," Arthur cleared his throat. "Rooftops, huh?"

"The sunrise," Merlin answered, gesturing to it. "Plus no one comes up here. It's quiet."

"I'm here."

Merlin glanced at him then, his gaze thoughtful. "Yeah, you are."

"Merlin," Arthur decided it was time to show just how much his patience was thinning. "I'm not asking you to share your whole life story with me. But you don't have to be so fucking secretive all the time. You can answer my questions. I'd just like to know something, _anything _about you."

He waited but Merlin didn't respond. He stared at the sunrise blankly, as if he hadn't even heard Arthur speak.

"My sister used to be an alcoholic," Arthur murmured. Maybe offering up something personal would prompt Merlin to do the same.

It didn't work.

When the silence stretched on for several minutes, Arthur swore under his breath. Why did Merlin have to be so difficult? He ground his teeth, about to push himself to his feet and leave, aware of just _how close_ he was to losing his temper completely, when Merlin spoke.

"My favourite colour is blue."

He stared at Merlin before snorting. "Really, Merlin? That's it?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow at him and he got the message. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Apparently, Merlin was going to ease himself into it.

"_Blue_?" Arthur repeated after a moment of silence. "How boring of you."

"Oh," Merlin scoffed. "And I suppose yours is the shade of a bluebird's wing on a winter evening or something?"

"Hardly. It's black."

"Black isn't a colour, it's the _absence_ of colour," Merlin rolled his eyes. "And it's fucking depressing. Why would you choose that as your favourite?"

Arthur didn't answer, instead smiling as he gazed at Merlin's black hair shifting slightly in the wind.

"It used to be green," he offered.

Merlin smirked. "How boring of you."

"It was pink before that."

"Was it any surprise that you turned out gay?"

"Piss off," Arthur smiled.

Merlin grinned back and Arthur replaced his arm around his shoulders, holding the man tighter against him.

* * *

**So _Neverwhere_ started on Radio 4 today. I love Neil Gaiman so I was excited to hear they were making the broadcast and when I discovered that Benedict Cumberbatch will voice Angel Islington, I had to take a deep, calming breath.**


	14. Chapter 14

Arthur stared balefully at the fresh piles of work on his desk. He hadn't been in the office for the last two days, instead working from home, but clearly Uther had decided to throw on some extra work for him to do. He must be pissed off about something...probably Frankie. It would be obvious by now that nothing was going to happen between him and the Vandivier girl.

He sighed, hanging his jacket up on the stand by his office door and loosening his tie. He sat behind his desk and powered up his computer, picking up the first file on the pile. He grimaced when he saw it was fucking _taxes_. That was the one aspect of his work that he hated the most. Uther must be _really _pissed.

He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly and pressed the intercom that connected him to Ni. She was Uther's PA and, technically, didn't work for Arthur. But that didn't stop him from asking her from help now and then and she seemed happy to help, despite there being three floors between his office and his father's. He should hire his own PA, but Ni was perfectly good at her job and since he paid her extra for helping him too, he decided it didn't really matter. She answered him with an attitude decidedly too optimistic for almost eight in the morning and when he requested a cup of coffee, promised she'd have it in his office within ten minutes with two biscuits on the side.

He worked straight through the morning and most of lunch. When he glanced first at the clock and then at the pile of work that had barely a dent in it, he decided to skip lunch and work through the afternoon. Anything he hadn't completed he could work on at home during dinner.

However, his phone rang and the red light told him it was reception.

"Yes?" he answered, keeping his voice patient. It wasn't the receptionist's fault that he was ridiculously busy.

"Sir," the woman on the end of the phone must have picked up on his impatience anyway because she sounded nervous. "There is a man in reception asking for you. He says his name is Merlin Emrys." There was a low, indistinct mumble and the receptionist added with an exasperated huff, "He brought lunch."

Arthur sat frozen for a long moment, staring at his desk. Merlin was...here. At his work. _In the same fucking building as his father_. Holy shit, what did he think he was _doing_? Arthur exhaled slowly, forcing himself to think. It was likely that Uther was either out for lunch, in a meeting or in his office. He could get Merlin out of the building before Uther noticed anything was amiss.

He shut down his computer, grabbed his jacket and swept out of his office, squeezing himself into the crowded elevator just before the doors slid shut.

"In a rush, Arthur?" Raj, one of the accountants, smiled. "I'm sure you can take a long lunch hour. Boss' son and all that."

Arthur shot him an impatient look and didn't respond. Raj was one of the pathetic blokes who thought that Arthur had all the perks of being the boss' son and made it his job to make obnoxious remarks about it whenever he saw him. Arthur couldn't be arsed to be polite and diplomatic today.

The doors slid open in the reception area and Arthur spotted Merlin immediately. In his worn jeans, old T-shirt, red scarf and leather jacket – not to mention the terrible state of his trainers – he stood out from the men and women in tidy, expensive suits. He clutched a tray of drinks with one hand, a bag hanging from his wrist, and he used his free hand to smooth down his mop of dark hair. He was talking -.

_Oh fuck_.

Arthur's heart lurched into his throat. He was talking to _Uther_.

He tried to look calm and composed as he approached the pair but he felt like there was a rock in his stomach. Uther stood close to Merlin, managing to tower over him despite being similar in height, dressed in a sharp, expensive suit. And really, looking at how vastly different the two men were, was a sign of how fucking enormously shit was going to hit the fan.

"Father," he greeted, keeping his voice steady as he looked first at Uther, then at Merlin.

"Arthur," Merlin nodded, his expression and tone polite but cool.

"Son," Uther smiled. His expression was almost reptilian.

"You normally spend lunch in your office," Arthur stated and immediately regretted it.

Uther raised an eyebrow as if to ask, _why would the change bother you_? However, out loud he said, "I was informed of a problem with one of the security guards by the receptionist. He was late for his shift. Marvin here was just telling me that he'd seen the guard outside, stopping a delivery man from leaving with a rather important file."

"Really?" Arthur glanced at Merlin. "How helpful of him."

"Good job Morgana sent me, else that poor guard would be out of a job," Merlin smiled blithely.

"Morgana?" Arthur repeated, surprised.

"Yeah," Merlin glanced at Uther, holding up the tray of drinks and bag. "I work for her. She told me she knew Arthur would skip lunch and asked me to drop off some food for him on my way back from getting her lunch."

Uther clearly lost interest at the mention of Morgana and that was enough to make him believe the bullshit Merlin was feeding him.

Although it unnerved him how easily Merlin had lied, cool relief swept through Arthur. So long as Uther believed that Merlin was Morgana's friend doing her a favour and nothing more, then perhaps things wouldn't go thermonuclear.

"I'll leave you to it. I have a meeting." Uther gave Merlin a dismissive glance, clearly already deleting the man from his memory, and disappeared into the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed on his father, Arthur turned to Merlin, letting his anger show. Merlin gave a mischievous smile and held up the bag.

"I got you a tea and a cheese sandwich," he held them out.

"What the _hell _do you think you're playing at?" Arthur hissed.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I needed to talk to you and I thought I'd bring you lunch at the same time. You're welcome."

"Merlin, my father..."

"Is an asshole, I know," Merlin interrupted. "Which is why I lied."

"Jesus, Merlin," Arthur rubbed a hand over his face. "You can't just _do _that."

Merlin simply raised an eyebrow. After a moment, Arthur sighed and took the tea and sandwich. He took a sip of the hot drink, taking the time to calm down before continuing the conversation.

"What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Will and I are heading home for the weekend. Will wants to visit his folks and...well, I should probably see my mother." Merlin fiddled with his own cup, clearly nervous. "Well...I was wondering...do you want to come with me?"

"To Yorkshire?" Arthur asked, surprised. "To see your mother?"

"Yeah."

"You're aware that I'd be meeting your mother," Arthur checked. "That usually means the relationship is, you know, serious."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

_Oh_. Arthur restrained his giddy grin.

"Besides, I sort of just met your father, unofficially."

Ah. _That _was why he'd come here. So he could meet Arthur's parent first. That way he wasn't making such a big step.

"Clever," Arthur remarked.

Merlin merely smirked. "So?"

"Sure. I'll go with you."

Merlin grinned, clearly relieved with his answer. "Alright. I'll call you later."

Arthur nodded, giving him a small smile. He wished he could kiss Merlin but he knew if he did it would probably get back to his father. Merlin gave him a wink and left.

Back in his office, Arthur took the sandwich out of the bag and noticed a piece of folded paper in the bottom. He plucked it out and unfolded it, recognising Merlin's terrible handwriting.

_When I was a kid, I used to get up at 5:30am and spent the whole morning eating cheap cereal and watching my favourite films._

Arthur smiled. Recently, Merlin had been telling Arthur more about himself; he'd drop facts in the middle of conversation or Arthur would receive a text at the weirdest of times with another sentence about Merlin. They were normally trivial but made sense. They were so _Merlin_. The man was telling Arthur about himself in his own weird way.

So far, he'd found out that Merlin's favourite film was _Lord of the Rings_, he used to have a goldfish called Gary, he used to do archery, his favourite subject at school was physics, he once played Mephistopheles in a college production of _Doctor Faustus_ and he once crashed Will's first ever car into a river. He'd kept all the texts.

He folded the note neatly and slid it into his pocket.

He was going to spend a weekend away with Merlin. He wanted Arthur to meet his mother. Arthur pressed his knuckles to his lips, frowning. The mother who was like Uther. Could he really face the woman who'd treat Merlin like that?

**0**

"Are you sure you want to come?"

Arthur rolled his eyes at Merlin's, shoving his weekend bag into the boot of his car. Will leaned against his car a few feet away; he'd driven Merlin to Arthur's. Will was going to drive down on his own. Arthur crammed Merlin's bag in next to his, shut the boot and turned to Merlin, kissing him firmly.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now get your ridiculously tempting ass in the car."

Merlin grinned. "Can I drive?"

"You don't have a license."

Merlin rolled his eyes and reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his wallet. He opened it, revealing a driver's license behind one of the plastic pockets.

"I was joking, Arthur. Of course I have a bloody driver's license."

Arthur gave him a flat look but handed him the keys. He settled into the passenger seat as Merlin started the car and slid a CD into the stereo. Unfamiliar music filled the car. Merlin hummed to the beat as he followed Will.

"Death Cab For Cutie," Merlin explained when Arthur gave him a blank look. "They're my favourite band."

"Modern?"

"Yeah."

That was probably why he'd never heard of them. "Mine's The Smiths."

"The Smiths are good," Merlin nodded.

They lapsed into silence and listened to the music. It was actually pretty good and Arthur couldn't help but smile when Merlin randomly sang along to the lyrics. He had a terrible singing voice but it was adorable...and nice to see him so carefree.

After just over an hour, Merlin turned the stereo off and for a few minutes the only sound was the engine. Merlin tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, clearly nervous. After a moment he cleared his throat and glanced at Arthur before returning his attention to the road.

"My father died when I was eight."

Arthur paused, caught off guard by Merlin's statement. It took him a moment to react to Merlin's words and at first he was overjoyed that Merlin was actually talking to him about something personal and serious before the realisation sunk in. Oh..._oh_. He'd wondered why Merlin hadn't mentioned a father but had assumed he just wasn't around.

"Merlin..." Arthur trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Merlin looked at him and there was obvious sadness in his eyes. Arthur offered him an encouraging smile, wishing there was something he could do to fix it.

"I didn't really know him well. He was a historian, specialised in ancient animal species, actually, and was often away with work. It was mostly just my mother and me. But when he was around, he was the...best. He used to take me to amazing places, the circus, the zoo, on incredible holidays. He took me to museums, too, and always told me about his work. I've learnt some great stuff from him. But the best times were when we stayed in, watched cartoons and ate junk food together. He used to wear this Star Wars shirt every Sunday to watch cartoons with me...

"Gaius, my uncle, and my father fought like brothers always do but when they were together they were inseparable. Uncle Gaius was a doctor but spent a lot of time travelling the world doing research on new medicines and illnesses. The last time they were both in England they took me to London for a weekend. One night they left me in the B and B to go out for a drink. They were mugged. Even though they handed over all their money the mugger still shot them both. They bled out in the street before an ambulance could arrive."

_Jesus_. Arthur gaped at Merlin, stunned. He hadn't expected that. He'd lost both his father and his uncle in such a terrible way when he was so young. Arthur had lost his mother but he'd never known her. He grieved for her but he couldn't imagine the amount of pain Merlin must still feel.

"Shit, Merlin, I..." Arthur trailed off, at a loss. "I'm sorry."

"I know. Most people are." Merlin smiled grimly. "The mugger wasn't. Because of him I lost my dad and uncle and me and my mum were left alone. And the bastard didn't even get a life sentence. My uncle was remarkable, a really amazing doctor. He taught me a lot." Merlin glanced at him. "I wanted to be a doctor. I even applied to study medicine and got a place."

But that meant he must have got incredible grades at GCSE and A Level. "You went to uni?"

"No."

"What happened?"

Merlin didn't answer but Arthur wasn't too disappointed. Merlin had just shared something personal and painful with him. That was enough for now.

"Thank you," he murmured, squeezing Merlin's knee gently.

Merlin offered him a small smile in response.

"My mother died when I was just a baby," Arthur said after a moment. "She never fully recovered from a traumatic childbirth and the doctors didn't catch it until it was too late. All the incredible science and medicine we have and they still missed it. I never really knew her but..."

"It still hurts," Merlin finished and Arthur nodded. "So Morgana is older than you?"

"By a year, yes."

Merlin nodded and they lapsed into comfortable silence. Despite how personal the conversation had been things felt lighter. Merlin was sharing with him.

* * *

**a/n: next chapter will be up soon – the meeting with Merlin's mother. Also, I'm terrible when it comes to editing my own work, so I apologise for any mistakes.**


	15. Chapter 15

Merlin was from a tiny, quiet village that looked like every other place they'd passed through to get there; a neat patch of houses, a church, a town hall, a farm, a park and a shop with a Post Office. The rest was just fields. They only spotted a couple of people as they drove through the village; an old man sat on a bench in the cemetery reading a newspaper and a couple walking their dog.

Merlin stopped the car outside a small semi-detached house, complete with a neat garden and lacy curtains. It was so..._cosy_. Will stopped the car only a few feet away.

"We were always neighbours," Merlin answered Arthur's curious expression.

Arthur looked at the left side of the semi-detached house, realising now that Will had lived there. Bloody hell, they really had grown up close. He hauled their bags out of the boot and locked the car as Merlin dug in his pocket for his keys. Before he could unlock the front door to the house, however, it swung open.

"Merlin," the woman at the door greeted warmly. "Late as always."

"Sorry, mother," Merlin grinned sheepishly. "Traffic was terrible."

So this was Merlin's mother. She was petite with dark, wavy hair cut in a tidy bob, a soft face lined with laughter lines and eyes the same shade as Merlin's. She wore a blouse, fuzzy cardigan, cotton trousers and socks. She looked..._motherly_.

Merlin leaned down to hug his mother, grinning as she kissed his cheek and immediately began to scold him for not phoning her back. Arthur watched the interaction closely, surprised. He'd expected there to be tension, maybe even hostility, but instead they were smiling and hugging and there was a tender look in Hunith's eyes.

"Mother," Merlin stepped back and beckoned Arthur forward. "This is Arthur, the guy I was telling you about. Arthur, this is my mother."

"Hunith," Arthur held out his hand and smiled politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She shook his hand, sharing an amused look with Merlin that had Arthur wondering what the joke was. Then she pulled away and gestured for them to enter the house.

"Tea?" she asked. "You've had a long journey and I heard on the radio that there was an accident just outside of London so traffic would be horrendous. Are you hungry? Dinner's cooking but I can make you a sandwich..."

Merlin grinned at Arthur as they followed the bustling woman into a brightly coloured, well lit kitchen. She gestured vaguely for Arthur to put the bags down in the hall and busied herself with filling the kettle with water.

"Karen has been going on for weeks about seeing Will. He's just as bad as you; never calls, never visits. We'll have to go out for dinner with them. It'll be lovely to see William too. It's a shame he didn't bring his girlfriend, Karen has been waiting to give her the check." Hunith rambled on, putting teabags in three mugs. "It _is _lovely to see you, Merlin. You never call anymore! I do worry about you...the city isn't safe, you know. You're welcome home anytime. Milk and two?"

Arthur realised that the last question was directed at him and nodded quickly. "Yes. Thank you."

She waved off his gratitude and turned to face Merlin. "Look at you!" she huffed, cupping his face and peering at him. "You look like you haven't slept in _weeks_. And you're so _pale_ and skinny. You've lost even more weight. You're just going to be skin and bones at this rate..."

"Mother, stop fussing," Merlin rolled his eyes, but he ruffled her hair fondly. "I'm alright. I'd love a cup of tea, traffic _was _bad from London, I'm not hungry but dinner smells good, it'd be nice to go out with Karen and Will, I'm sorry about not calling and the city is fine."

It was clearly something he was used to doing, keeping up with her quick questions. She fell silent and smiled, shaking her head at him. She patted his cheek once before turning to Arthur, blue eyes appraising him.

"Well," she said. "He's certainly _pretty_."

Arthur couldn't help his blush and Merlin grinned.

"I think so," he agreed seriously, but his eyes were full of amusement at Arthur's expense.

"You haven't told me much about him," Hunith scolded her son before beaming at Arthur. "We'll get to know one another over dinner."

Arthur opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a loud whistle. Hunith took the kettle of the stove and poured boiling water into the mugs. She finished making the tea with swift ease and handed both Arthur and Merlin a mug.

"Biscuits?" she offered, nudging a tin towards them.

They both declined. Arthur sipped his tea, blinking at how good it tasted.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Merlin asked him.

"But dinner will be ready in half an hour," Hunith warned.

"Half an hour is plenty of time to show Arthur the village," Merlin grinned and Hunith laughed at the inside joke.

"Dinner's on the table at six."

He promised his mother that they'd be back in time for dinner and beckoned for Arthur to follow him. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket to protect them from the harsh, cold weather as they walked down the pavement.

"You need a better coat," Arthur murmured.

Merlin glanced at him. "Probably."

They walked past the church first. It was small and quaint with its own small graveyard. Right next to it was the children's park. Arthur couldn't help but think that was a little morbid.

"Does everyone here go to church?" Arthur asked.

"Most people do but only a small percentage that go are actually very religious. Mostly people go for the social aspect and because in a tiny place like this, there isn't much else to do. Most of us stopped going in our younger teenage years but a lot start going again when they grow up."

Arthur couldn't imagine going to church every Sunday simply to socialise. He'd been born and grew up in the city. He hadn't thought city life was much different from living in the country, but a lot of things had surprised him so far.

"So when you stopped going in your younger teenage years, what did you do?" Arthur asked.

"Me?" Merlin grinned cheekily. "Me and Will got drunk on cider at the bus stop."

Arthur couldn't help but laugh at that. "On a Sunday morning?"

"At first, then we decided to use the Sunday mornings for lie ins," Merlin shrugged. "Will started going again before he moved to the city. I didn't."

"Why not?"

Merlin huffed out a breath, gazing at the pavement ahead of them. "I got sick of all the pitying looks and bloody people saying the same bloody thing, _I'm sorry for your loss, Balinor was a good man, I'm here for you if you need a nice cuppa_. Like because I was grieving I couldn't make my own bloody tea. I didn't want their apologies or their pity. And I hated how everyone kept watching me like I was going to breakdown at any moment. So I tended to stay in or spend my time with Will, and then I moved to the city for a fresh start."

"Does Gwaine know what happened to your father and uncle?"

Merlin shook his head and Arthur felt his heart flutter. Merlin had shared with him something only Will knew, none of his other friends. He couldn't help but smile.

"Your mother's...nice," Arthur murmured after a few minutes of silence.

Merlin tilted his head, questioning Arthur's slight hesitation. Arthur paused, thinking through his words before saying them. He didn't want to offend Merlin.

"I just mean..." he shrugged awkwardly. "Well, I expected there to be tension. What with..." He trailed off, but Merlin's expression turned grim.

Before Merlin could answer his curiosity, an old man paused in the process of trimming his rose bush and peered at Merlin.

"Merlin?" he asked.

Merlin glanced at him, forcing a smile. "Hello, Mr Noble."

"I haven't seen you in a long time," Mr Noble raised his eyebrows. "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you."

Merlin didn't give Mr Noble chance to answer, instead setting a fast pace. Arthur gave the old man a quick nod and followed, following into step beside Merlin as they passed the village hall.

"Look," Merlin spoke after a moment. "What happened with me and mum was in the past. I love her."

"Alright," Arthur acquiesced.

**0**

When Merlin and Arthur arrived back at Hunith's house, dinner was, as she'd promised, on the table. It was a small table and two people were already sat around it; Will and a large woman with dark hair, green eyes and a soft face lined with age. He assumed this was Will's mother.

"Sit down," Hunith smiled at the two men, pointing at the table. "I'm just making some tea."

Merlin grinned at Arthur's expression as they sat down next to one another on one side of the table. "I lived on tea when I was a kid."

"I'm Karen," the woman introduced herself. "Will's mum. You're Arthur, Merlin's friend?"

"Boyfriend," Arthur corrected.

She appraised him before shooting Merlin a wink. "Well _done_, Merls."

Merlin blushed, ducking his head slightly, but there was a grin on his face at the teasing. Hunith placed the mugs of tea down on the table and sat down, encouraging them to eat.

What was on Arthur's place vaguely _resembled_ cottage pie but...sloppier. He nudged at it with his fork, watching as everyone took a mouthful of the stuff. When he hesitated, Merlin kicked his shin under the table, making him wince. He quickly shovelled a forkful of the cottage pie in his mouth and barely restrained his grimace.

As Hunith chatted with Will about his new job and girlfriend, Karen leaned close to Arthur with a sly smile.

"Hunith Emrys isn't renowned for her cooking skills," she whispered.

Arthur grinned and placed another forkful of the slop in his mouth. Beside him, Merlin had almost finished, which surprised Arthur. For someone so skinny, he could pack a lot of food away. After a few minutes, Arthur felt a little queasy and decided he was done.

"Arthur," Hunith blinked. "You haven't finished your dinner."

"I...well..." he floundered, not wanting to offend her.

"Eat up," she encouraged.

When she turned back to Will and Karen, Arthur quickly scraped the remainder of his portion onto Merlin's plate. Merlin paused to roll his eyes on him but continued eating without comment, clearly deciding to take pity on Arthur's stomach.

"Merlin," Karen reached out, grasping his wrist gently. "How are you doing?"

Silence fell over the table at the softly spoken question. Arthur glanced at Merlin who had gone rigid at the question, not looking up from Karen's hand on his wrist. Tension filled the kitchen, thick and heavy.

"Mum," Will said quietly.

Karen slowly withdrew her hand, looking troubled by Merlin's silence. He shot an uneasy glance at Arthur before returning his gaze to his plate. Arthur had no idea what Karen was referring to but he pushed his curiosity aside, reaching under the table to rest his hand on Merlin's knee.

"Well," Hunith forced a light tone. "Anyone for pudding?" She glanced at Merlin. "Merlin? Would your friend like some?"

"Boyfriend," Arthur spoke up tightly before he could stop himself. "Is there a problem with that?"

He should have left it. He _really _should have left it. But the thought of Merlin's mother not being supportive of his sexuality had gnawed at his mind for a long time and he let his mouth take control.

Merlin and Will looked at him, startled. Hunith blinked, floundering for a moment.

"I, well..." she glanced at Merlin, uncertain.

"Because there's nothing wrong with being gay and there's _certainly_ nothing wrong with Merlin."

He looked at the man in question to find that he was glaring at him furiously, his hands fisted on the table. Arthur's heart sank in his chest.

"Excuse me," Merlin stood up from the table, his voice carefully controlled. "I need to have a word with Arthur outside."

Hunith nodded jerkily, still stunned by Arthur's confrontation. Merlin strode out of the back door and after a moment, Arthur followed, closing the kitchen door behind them. The back garden was small and well tended to, full of sweet smelling flowers. A cat strolled across the lawn, the bell on its collar breaking the silence of the evening. It was freezing out and Arthur was cold in his jumper; Merlin must have felt like ice wearing only a thin, short sleeved shirt.

"How _dare_ you speak to my mother like that."

Arthur took a step back, caught off guard by the fierce rage in Merlin's tone. Even when he'd touched his scar against his will, Merlin hadn't sounded so angry as he did now.

"Merlin, I'm sorry," he huffed after a moment. "But I know what it is like to have a homophobic parent and thinking of you in that situation just..."

"_What_?" Merlin interrupted, eyes wide. "Arthur, my mother is most certainly _not _homophobic. In fact, she and Will were the only ones to support me at first. She helped me bloody come to terms with it, for God's sake!"

"But you said..."

"No," Merlin cut in again. "You _assumed_ and you assumed bloody wrong! My mother is the loveliest and frankly the _best _woman I know."

"Then why did you say you don't speak to her?" Arthur asked, louder than anticipated.

Merlin fell silent, his hands clenched at his sides. He looked freezing and Arthur felt a flash of concern.

"Bloody _hell_, Arthur," Merlin shook his head.

Arthur opened his mouth to point out that the mistake wasn't _entirely _his fault but Merlin beat him to it.

"This is my fault," he sighed. He took a step forward, pressing his forehead against Arthur's shoulder. After a moment, Arthur reached up, rubbing his hands against his arms in an attempt to warm him up.

"Merlin..."

"Of course you jumped to conclusions," he mumbled against his shoulder. "I should have...look, I'm sorry. When we get back, I'll tell you, okay? Everything."

Arthur paused at that, a mixture of relief and anticipation trickling through him. He wanted to know – had done for so long now – but at the same time he knew it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"We should head back inside," Merlin murmured, pulling back.

"I'm sorry," Arthur grabbed his hand, squeezing it. "Really."

Merlin leaned in, kissing him firmly.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hunith."

Hunith glanced up from washing the dishes, offering Arthur an easy smile. His guilt immediately increased. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, aware that, though Merlin was in the other room, he'd be listening attentively to Arthur's apology to Hunith.

He felt like the world's biggest twat. He'd only just met Merlin's mother and he'd managed to insult her pretty badly. And he wanted Hunith to accept him, to get on with her, because he wanted his relationship with Merlin to _last_. He wanted to make amends with the kind woman and, by apologising to her, also appease Merlin. Arthur could tell that the way he'd spoken to Hunith had deeply offended Merlin and he realised now just how protective and loving of his mother he was.

"I made a mistake," Arthur started, forcing himself to meet her kind gaze. "I made an assumption – a very _wrong_ assumption – and as a result I was incredibly rude to you. I am so sorry for what I said and how I acted. I was a...a..."

"Wanker?" Hunith suggested, eyes shining with amusement.

"Yes," Arthur laughed. "I was a wanker. I really am sorry for being so disrespectful. I'm grateful to you for your hospitality and for allowing me to stay here and I hope..."

"Arthur," Hunith cut him off, a gentle smile on her face. She dried her hands on a teatowel and placed them on his upper arms, gazing up at him. "Apology accepted and you're forgiven."

He exhaled in relief. "Thank you."

"Your assumption _was_ incredibly wrong. I love my son, I truly do. I am his mother and that means I will protect him against _anything_, do you understand? And I did so when he was struggling with his sexuality. I protected him against the more..._old fashioned_ values expressed by some residents of our village. I even set him up with young Martin, but of course that didn't last. Merlin was always a little flighty when he was younger and he was soon chasing after Louise..."

Arthur couldn't help but interrupt, a surprised question escaping him. "Merlin's bisexual?"

Hunith paused, staring at him for a moment before pulling away and grabbing two mugs from a rack on the wall. "Yes. Did he not tell you?"

"No," Arthur admitted, letting the revelation that Merlin liked women as well as men sink in.

"Well," Hunith cleared her throat and filled the kettle with water. "As I was saying, your assumption was wrong. I forgive you and believe me when I say that I like you, Arthur. You seem like a good man and Merlin...he's happy. That is enough for me: to see my son happy."

Arthur smiled, pleased.

"Just take care of him, okay?" Hunith glanced at him.

"I will," Arthur promised.

She smiled warmly, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you. Now go and see Merlin. I'm sure he'll be much happier now you've apologised. And tea always cheers him up."

Arthur laughed at her shrewdness and accepted the mugs she handed him. She returned to washing the dishes and he left the kitchen. Merlin was in the small living room. He'd lit the fire and that plus the lamp Merlin had switched on cast the room in a soft orange glow. He was sprawled on the sofa with a book in his hands.

Arthur placed the mugs of tea on the coffee table and Merlin shifted his legs without looking away from his book, giving Arthur to sit down on the sofa. As soon as he did, Merlin lifted his legs onto his lap.

"Your mother is wonderful," Arthur murmured, letting his fingertips dance over Merlin's ankle.

"Mm," Merlin made a sound of agreement. "She is. Why are you petting my feet?"

Arthur rolled his eyes and didn't answer, instead trailing a fingertip from Merlin's ankle to his knee. Merlin shifted slightly but otherwise didn't react, absorbed by his book. Arthur squinted to read the title; _Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy_.

"I was thinking," Arthur said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "We could go for a walk tomorrow. Maybe the cemetery?" Arthur saw Merlin's grimace and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The cemetery creeps me out," he answered, turning the page in his book.

"You're such a girl's petticoat."

Merlin laughed loudly. "Girl's petticoat? What kind of antiquated insult is that?"

Arthur smiled. "And what about _clotpole_? I mean, where is that even from?"

"Shakespeare, dear," Merlin answered condescendingly.

Arthur rolled his eyes and plucked the book from Merlin's hands, tossing it carelessly onto the coffee table. Merlin raised an eyebrow but clearly chose not to rise to the bait, instead nudging Arthur gently with his foot. He snorted but returned to petting his ankles. Merlin closed his eyes, dropping his head onto the arm of the sofa, clearly relaxed.

"Who was Martin?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. He hadn't realised that it had been bothering him until he asked the question.

Merlin opened his eyes, blinking at him once. "Mum told you about him?"

"She mentioned him."

"He was a couple of years older than me and was doing A levels. I only ever saw him when he was on shift at the shop. I had a ridiculous crush on him but I was only sixteen and thought he was way out of my league. Mother noticed my crush, of course, and decided to play Cupid."

"And?" Arthur pressed.

Merlin shrugged. "We dated for a few months and spent a nice summer together. Then he went to university and we decided to break up before her left. Neither of us was particularly upset by the break up...there were no deep feelings there. As far as I'm aware, he's still in Manchester." He paused before adding, "He was my first."

"First boyfriend?" Arthur asked hesitantly.

"First everything."

"Oh."

Arthur felt a pang of irrational jealousy of this Martin. He'd been with people before he'd met Merlin, of course, and he really had no claim to be envious of Merlin's first shag. But still...the thought of some other guy being with Merlin made him a little uncomfortable. And now he knew that Merlin had been with women too.

_Love_, he thought with a snort. It produced irrational feelings.

Merlin suddenly shifted so he was on his knees beside Arthur, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "Darling, are you _jealous_?"

Arthur huffed at the taunting tone in Merlin's voice. "No."

Merlin grinned and leaned in, gently biting down on Arthur's lower lip. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard as Merlin's tongue swept out to taste his lips.

"I'm off to visit Naomi," Hunith called. "Don't wait up."

Merlin pulled away and they both listened carefully until they heard the front door close rather loudly. Merlin rolled his eyes, shaking his head ruefully.

"She's giving us some alone time," he explained drily.

Arthur grinned. "Well, we wouldn't want to let that go to waste."

Merlin stood and left the room, Arthur following close behind. He grabbed the bags from the hallway as they went, hauling them up the stairs. Merlin's bedroom was the one right at the end and he held the door open for Arthur so he could put the bags down inside before shutting it behind them and switching on the light.

Merlin's bedroom clearly hadn't been altered since his adolescent years. It was painted blue and covered in band and movie posters. There was a cluttered desk, a bunch of video consoles, a bookshelf, some old toys and collectibles, and a double bed pressed against the wall. He took a moment to look around the room, taking in all the personal touches; photographs, ticket stubs, an old teddy bear perched on a shelf, a bunch of birthday cards from friends.

Merlin didn't give him long to study the collection of memories, instead attacking his lips, pulling him tightly against his body.

"Merlin," he mumbled, caught off guard.

Merlin grinned against his mouth and tugged him towards the bed. He slid onto it and Merlin hovered over him, leaning down to kiss and suck at his neck. Arthur closed his eyes, his veins feeling like they were full of fire. He could never get enough of this, the incredible sensations Merlin elicited from his body, the feel of being so close to the other man. It was more than just physical pleasure. It was just _more_ and it was wonderful.

He slid his hands down Merlin's back as he sucked at his pulse point, groaning slightly. A sudden thought popped into his head through the haze and before he could think better of it, he blurted it out.

"How many girls have you been with?"

Merlin paused before sighing and pulling back to look down at him. He raised an eyebrow, not looking particularly pleased by the question. Arthur gazed back silently, refusing to back down. He hadn't meant to ask the question but that didn't mean that now he had he didn't want an answer.

"I've been with three girls and a lot of men," he huffed. "Do you want me to list them? It might be a bit difficult to remember names but I'll try if you're so fucking curious."

"_No_," Arthur cut him off, closing his eyes at the pain in his chest. "Fuck, don't even think about it."

"Then stop being jealous," Merlin shot back. "It was cute at first but it's wearing thin."

"Merlin," Arthur sat up slightly and Merlin shuffled back. "Enough. I'm not going to argue with you."

"I'm attracted to men and I'm also attracted to women. I don't know why the knowledge that I also like women bothers you but it shouldn't." Merlin said flatly and Arthur realised why he'd reacted so strongly to Arthur's question. Clearly this was a sore point for him.

"When you were upset the other day, on the roof, about something some customer said," Arthur murmured, things clicking together in his mind. "Did he say something about you being bisexual?"

Merlin gave a sharp nod. "I got a lot of shit about it when I was younger."

"I'm sorry," Arthur offered after a moment. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have brought it up. I just..."

Merlin slowly smiled, warmth returning to his eyes. "It's fine. But it really shouldn't bother you. It should be me who worries about competition." He leaned down, his teeth grazing Arthur's earlobe. "After all, you're gorgeous, blonde and blue eyed, ridiculously good in bed..."

Arthur flipped them so he was on top, kissing his way down Merlin's neck. Merlin grinned in approval and ran his fingertips lightly down Arthur's spine. Arthur tugged at Merlin's shirt and managed to get it off; he tossed it to the floor and leaned down to suck and bite at Merlin's chest. His lips brushed his nipple and he sucked it between his teeth.

Merlin hissed slightly, his hips bucking, and Arthur grinned. He wanted to take things slow but he could feel that Merlin was already hard and in turn that made him feel even more aroused.

"Do you have any...?"

Merlin pointed to the desk without opening his eyes. Arthur climbed off Merlin and the bed and searched the drawers of the desk until he found the bottle he was looking for. He stripped himself before returning to the bed, leaning down to kiss Merlin slowly.

"Arthur," Merlin murmured against his lips.

"Mm?"

Merlin huffed. "Hurry up."

**0**

Arthur smiled as he felt Merlin pepper feather light kisses against his shoulder, still trying to regain both his breath and his energy. They needed to clean up and change the sheets before Hunith returned but he was exhausted. Merlin had accused him of being ridiculously good in bed but he wasn't the only talented one. He always felt completely spent after being with Merlin.

He started to feel the sting in his back and scrunched his nose. In response, Merlin started brushing his lips against the scratches he'd made on Arthur's back.

"I love you," Arthur mumbled against the pillow.

His eyes shot open as he realised what he'd said. It was true – he knew it was – but he knew it would freak Merlin out. However, rather than tense and pull away or even try and push Arthur away again, Merlin simply shuffled closer and kissed Arthur softly.

"I know," he murmured. "Idiot."

But he didn't say it back.

Arthur tugged Merlin closer to him and closed his eyes again, yawning. Before he knew it, he was drifting.

**0**

They arrived back at Merlin's at a ridiculous hour on Monday morning. They'd said goodbye to Will back in Yorkshire, knowing he'd return straight home rather than stop off at Merlin's, and Arthur had been the one to drive back, this time without the stereo on. They'd talked nonstop at first but they were now silent, too tired to continue conversation.

"Do you..." Merlin paused midsentence to yawn, looking exhausted. "Want to come in for coffee?"

"Coffee at this hour?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Go to sleep, Merlin."

"I have work in," he glanced at his watch. "An hour and a half. I haven't got time. That's why I invited you in; I need someone to stop me from falling asleep."

Arthur shook his head. Merlin's bad sleeping habits bothered him but he chose not to comment on it. He was too tired.

"I need to head home and check in on work before I sleep. But I'll see you later."

Merlin nodded and took his bag from Arthur's hand, unlocking his front door. He leaned in, kissing him firmly and as he pulled away, slipped something into Arthur's hand.

"See you later," he murmured before disappearing into his flat, shutting the door behind him.

Arthur didn't look at the note until he arrived home. He dropped his bag on his bedroom floor and headed straight for the bed, peeling off his clothes before collapsing into it. Before he let himself fall asleep, he carefully unfolded the note, eyes widening as he read the terrible handwriting.

_I love you_.

* * *

**a/n: so I sort of started a smut scene and cut if off...sorry about that. I'm just not very good at writing sex scenes. **


	17. Chapter 17

_Remember I promised to take you to the Savoy?  
Tonight at 7? I'll pick you up.  
- Arthur x_

It was a risky move and he knew it. It wasn't unlikely that he'd be recognised by someone who worked there or even that he'd encounter one of Uther's acquaintances. But he'd promised Merlin and he was sick of only taking him to the small, out-of-the-way restaurants where they wouldn't be noticed. He'd done that with his one night stands and Merlin was more than that...he deserved more.

And if they _were_ noticed...he'd deal with Uther if he had to. Even though the idea made him feel physically ill.

The vibration of his mobile pulled him out of his worried thoughts and he glanced at the text from Merlin.

_Sure.  
- Merlin_

He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it was definitely more than a casual 'sure'. He'd actually hoped for another 'I love you' or a kiss. But, really, he should have been used to Merlin's odd manner of texting by now. He'd sent dirty texts to Merlin only yesterday in the hopes of distracting him from his work at the coffee shop. It was only when he'd attached a picture of his unzipped jeans along with another seductive text that Merlin seemed to get the message. The outcome had been almost as good as real life.

His phone buzzed again and he looked at it, expecting another text from Merlin. He grimaced when he saw it was his charming sister. He hadn't seen her since he'd returned from his weekend away with Merlin and she hadn't contacted him, but this wasn't exactly new. She could go for weeks without getting in touch with him over some imagined slight.

_Visited father today. – M_

Despite the venomous tone she managed to convey in her text (which was a talent he'd always been envious of) he couldn't resist the urge to annoy his sister further.

_Oh, hi, Morgie. I'm fine, thanks for asking. Lovely to hear from you. It's been a while.  
- Your dearest brother_

It took a few minutes for her to reply and he smirked, knowing that it had worked. When she _did _reply, she sent a mass load of texts too quickly for him to respond to until she'd finished.

_Fuck off._

_Bloody tosser. _

_You went away for a lovely weekend away with your bloody boyfriend and left me to deal with Uther._

_You didn't invite me or tell me._

_You have no idea how much I want to punch you in the face for that._

_Bitch_.

He laughed loudly at the last text message. Morgana could be scary when she was angry but he knew this wasn't one of those times when she really meant it. She was slightly insulted but nothing more and she'd forget all about it pretty soon.

_Did you just call me a bitch?  
- Arthur_

_Yes. You're clearly now your boyfriend's bitch. – M_

Arthur rolled his eyes at that and regretted talking to his sister about his love life. He knew she'd use it eventually to mock him.

_Sorry for leaving you to deal with Uther_.  
_- Arthur_

Making amends seemed more important now than winding her up. He didn't want to start a massive argument with Morgana. She could be a real grade A bitch when pushed to the limit, something Arthur tested a lot for his own entertainment.

_And Leon. – M_

Arthur couldn't help but smirk.

_I'm sure you didn't mind that so much.  
- Arthur_

Ever since he'd caught his sister drooling over his best friend, he'd taken every opportunity to tease her about it.

_Uther has requested we have lunch with him tomorrow. –M_

That wiped the smile off Arthur's face. He hadn't seen his father since he'd returned from Yorkshire, not even at work. He'd been enjoying it.

_And by 'requested', I of course mean 'demanded'. We're meeting him Hibiscus at 2. –M_

_What if I don't want to go?  
- Arthur_

Morgana didn't reply but he hadn't really expected an answer. It was a stupid question; he didn't really have much choice in the matter, not where his father was concerned, and he wasn't going to let Morgana deal with it alone.

**0**

"It's definitely...fancy."

Arthur glanced up and smiled as Merlin sat down opposite him, glancing around him with a carefully emotionless expression. He wondered if Merlin was impressed or disgusted with what he saw. He'd seemed pretty neutral on the topic of wealth up until now but Arthur had to admit, it was a pretty expensive place.

"Haven't you been to places like this before?" he asked.

Merlin looked at him and shrugged. "My parents took me to some pretty cool places when I was a kid. They sometimes saved up to take me to some fancy places...but nothing like this." His lips curved into a mischievous smile. "I'm not from a wealthy background like you. I guess dating me is like the equivalent of buying clothes from Oxfam, huh?"

Arthur's stomach rolled uncomfortably. "Merlin, that...that's not..."

"Arthur, I was joking," Merlin tilted his head slightly. "Does the thought really bother you?"

"Of course it bloody does. I'm with you because I love you, you idiot."

Merlin grinned and nudged his calf gently. "I know. I was only joking."

Arthur took a deep breath and steered them into easier conversation. They were laughing when a waiter appeared beside them, asking for their order. They placed their individual orders and the waiter disappeared. Arthur took a sip of his drink, gazing at the man in front of him.

"Move in with me," he said on impulse.

Merlin didn't move his gaze from his and he didn't bat an eyelid. "Piss off."

Arthur smiled. That was pretty much the response he had expected.

"I'm serious."

"So am I," Merlin returned calmly.

"Move in with me."

Merlin propped his elbow on the table and cupped his chin in his hand, raising an eyebrow almost in boredom. "And what would your father think of that?"

The question silenced him because it was a damn good one. He didn't have an answer to that. He wanted to argue that he didn't care what his father thought, that it didn't matter because he wanted Merlin and if that meant going against Uther then he would.

But he didn't say it. He _couldn't_. So he gazed back at Merlin, silent.

He expected Merlin to look disappointed or hurt by his lack of answer, but he merely gave a small smile. He didn't look surprised or victorious. He simply looked understanding.

"Merlin, I..."

He didn't get chance to finish his sentence he hadn't meant to start; the waiter arrived with their food and set the plates in front of them with a flourish. Arthur could see the curiosity in the waiter's eyes as he turned away and left. It was a waiter that had served him before when he'd been here on a date set up by his father.

On another (less stupid) impulse, he reached across the table and let his fingertips brush Merlin's.

Merlin gazed at him for a moment before speaking. "Arthur, I'm not an idiot. I know that this is somewhere you wouldn't normally take me because it is possible that someone will recognise you and your father will find out that you're dating a man."

Arthur tilted his head, not really surprised by Merlin's insight. "And?"

"We can play this off as a business lunch or something if it is easier."

Arthur squeezed his hand in answer. "Shut up, idiot."

Merlin grinned, clearly pleased that Arthur had chosen against playing the date off as anything other than that, a date.

They finished the date in easier conversation. Arthur paid the bill and Merlin didn't argue. As they stood up to leave, Arthur helped Merlin into his leather jacket and abruptly leaned in, kissing him softly on the mouth, long enough to ensure that there was no mistake: he loved this man.

Merlin smiled against his mouth, his hands slipping down to hold his and Arthur sighed before pulling away.

"Stay at mine tonight."

Merlin nodded immediately and Arthur grinned, thanking the waiter as they passed. As soon as they were in the car, Merlin's hand settled on Arthur's upper thigh, his thumb stroking dangerously close to his groin.

Arthur swallowed and looked at Merlin. "Keep that up and I don't think we'll make it back to mine."

Merlin's eyes gleamed at the challenge.

**0**

Arthur woke up feeling too warm. He kept his eyes closed for a moment before reluctantly slipping into reality. He opened his eyes to the sunshine on his face and looked down at the source of the extra heat: Merlin. His upper body was sprawled on Arthur's torso, his head tucked against his collarbone, and at some point during the night they'd tangled legs.

Arthur stroked lazy circles on the small of Merlin's back and felt his lips curve against his collarbone.

"Morning," he mumbled sleepily, pulling away and blinking up at him. "I have work in a couple of hours."

Arthur still wasn't used to that. He shook his head and leaned down, kissing him softly before sitting up and stretching.

"Breakfast?"

Merlin gave a non committal hum in answer and Arthur climbed out of bed. He stretched again and glanced at the clock. Before he could leave the bedroom, however, he felt a feather light touch on his back. He paused as Merlin's hands trailed down his spine.

Merlin pressed a series of kisses along his back and shoulders before turning him around. Arthur gazed at the other man, waiting to see where this was going. Heat was already coiling low in his stomach in response to Merlin's touch.

Merlin suddenly leaned in and kissed him hard, slotting his lower lip between his. Arthur groaned, stepping forward to press their bodies and continue the kiss, but Merlin pulled away and moved his mouth to his neck. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes as Merlin licked and sucked his way from his pulse point to his earlobe.

"I love you," he murmured quietly.

It was the first time Merlin had said it out loud and Arthur swore under his breath, gripping Merlin's hips tightly. Merlin peppered hot, open mouthed kisses against his chest as he slid one hand down. He palmed him to full hardness through his boxers.

"Shit," he gasped, shifting his hips forward. "_Merlin_."

Merlin pulled back and gave him a wicked grin before dropping his knees in front of him. Arthur swallowed hard, watching as Merlin tugged his boxers down and took his length in his mouth.

"_Fuck_," he groaned, canting his hips forward.

His mind went deliciously blank. Merlin hadn't done this for him before but it seemed he was happy to prove just how talented his mouth was. He reached one hand up to grip his hip, stopping him from thrusting forward too far into his mouth, and used his other to work in rhythm with his mouth.

Merlin pulled back, twisting his hand slightly, and slid his mouth back over him, using his tongue expertly. Arthur weaved his hands tightly into his hair, tilting his head back. He'd given up on trying to control the noises escaping his mouth.

It was fast, it was hot, and, embarrassingly, it was over pretty fast. He clenched his hands in Merlin's hair and swore under his breath.

"Merlin," he moaned. "I'm close..."

Merlin paused, glanced up at him, and then hollowed his cheeks, sucking hard. Arthur cried out as everything blanked with pure pleasure, his hips thrusting forward. Merlin continued to tease him until his hips finally stilled and he drew in a sharp, trembling breath.

"_Shit_, Merlin," he whispered. "That was..."

Merlin pulled his boxers up and rose gracefully to his feet, a smug expression on his face. Arthur stood still for a moment, letting his body calm down again before reaching out to rub Merlin's scalp, feeling bad for how tightly he'd dug his fingers in.

"Sorry," he murmured.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

Arthur grinned and leaned in to kiss him, but Merlin pulled back. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Let me brush my teeth before I kiss you," Merlin explained. "Since I have just swallowed -."

Arthur cut him off with a firm kiss, letting his hands wander over his body. He could feel Merlin's erection against his hip and he reached down, cupping him. Merlin hissed into his mouth, shifting his hips forward. Arthur teased him for a moment before dropping to his knees.

The bedroom door opened – and then slammed shut again immediately after a shriek rang out.

Arthur swore loudly and stumbled to his feet, embarrassment making his face heat up. Merlin raised an eyebrow, not looking particularly bothered that he'd just been caught in a rather...compromising position.

"Don't mind me!" Morgana's voice called from the other side of the door. "I'm just going to go pour some bleach in my eyes."

"Oh bloody hell, its _Morgana_," Arthur muttered, grabbing his dressing gown from the chair in the corner of the room. A long stream of swear words escaped his mouth before he turned to Merlin and pointed to the en suite. "Shower."

Merlin smirked at Arthur's obvious embarrassment, giving him a mock salute. "Yes, sir!"

Arthur threw a cushion at him but he dodged it easily, laughing as he disappeared into the en suite.

Arthur took a moment to gather himself together before reluctantly leaving the sanctity of his bedroom to face his sister. She'd helped herself to some coffee and was sat on the sofa. She grimaced as he approached.

"Are you...done? Because I really don't want to be near you when you've got a..."

"Don't even go there," Arthur grumbled, unable to look her in the eye. "I should have changed the bloody locks. Why didn't you knock?"

"I did but you didn't answer. Now I know why."

He swore again and she laughed after a moment, clearly deriving more humour from the situation than embarrassment.

"Well, I was going to ask how you're romantic weekend away went, but I guess I don't need to now."

"Shut up, Morgana."

"So..." she flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "That's Merlin. He's...cute."

Arthur huffed out a breath, bracing himself for her teasing.

"No, really," she shook her head, her expression completely sincere. "He's quite gorgeous, in a weird way. Not my usual type and I wouldn't have thought he'd be yours, but from what I could see _downstairs_ he's rather impressive..."

"_Morgana_!" he bellowed.

She laughed. "Oh, Arthur, I don't think I've ever seen your cheeks go so red!"

He grit his teeth and glared at her. She merely grinned, clearly enjoying this. He heard the shower shut off and exhaled sharply.

"I'm going for a shower," he headed towards the bedroom but paused when a sudden thought occurred to him. Morgana and Merlin were going to be left to themselves as he showered. He threw a warning look over his shoulder. "Go easy on him, Morgana."

"No promises."

He muttered an unflattering insult under his breath and shut the bedroom door behind him. He knew Merlin would give as good as he got but he was still nervous about Morgana's approval...of _more _than Merlin's body. She was his sister and the closest family he had. He wanted her to approve of Merlin.

Merlin appeared from the en suite with only a towel around his waist. Arthur took a moment to admire the view before meeting Merlin's amused gaze.

"Don't hold back if she's a bitch," he advised.

Merlin raised an eyebrow but was clearly looking forward to meeting Arthur's sister. Arthur shook his head. They were both strong, stubborn personalities and he knew they were bound to clash. He just hoped it wasn't too messy when they did.

Arthur shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He didn't linger in the shower, instead rushing as he washed his body and massaged shampoo into his hair. In his bedroom, he towelled himself dry and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt.

He left his bedroom expecting to find Merlin and Morgana exchanging harsh insults. Instead he found them sat on the same sofa, Morgana's hand touching Merlin's knee briefly as they..._laughed _together.

He stopped and stared at them, caught off guard. Morgana glanced up at him and smirked.

"Aw, look," she whispered loudly to Merlin. "Look at his poor brain trying to process it."

Merlin grinned. "You can practically hear the rusty cogs turning."

"Oh, bloody hell," Arthur realised. "You're bonding over insulting me."

Morgana and Merlin offered grins that sent a shudder down Arthur's spine. He should have been glad that they were getting along but this was too eerie.

"Mm," Morgana turned to Merlin. "We should do coffee sometime."

He nodded and got to his feet. "Sure. Arthur will give you my number. It was...interesting to meet you, Morgana."

"You too," she offered and Arthur did a double take. He was pretty sure he'd never heard something so polite and sentimental come from Morgana's mouth.

"I have to head off. I have work." Merlin leaned in, kissing Arthur warmly. "I'll see you later."

"I love you."

Merlin grinned and left, waving once to Morgana before the door closed behind him. Arthur turned to his sister and raised an eyebrow.

"What did I miss?"

"He's...interesting," she smiled.

Ah...he'd given as good as he got and Morgana liked that.

"You approve?" Arthur strived for a casual tone.

"I do," she nodded. "I really like him, Arthur. There's something about him...I can't put my finger on it. But there's something there, Arthur, something remarkable."

Arthur stared at her, stunned. "Are you feeling alright?"

She snorted. "Just don't fuck things up, Arthur. I quite like this one. Keep him."

Arthur smiled. "I intend to."

* * *

**a/n: so...smut. I did my best but I'm not keen on it. It was kind of awkward posting it because two people I know are reading this story...sorry guys!**

**Next chapter: shit hits the fan. **


	18. Chapter 18

"Arthur, you need to tell him."

Arthur sighed, leaning back in his chair in order to avoid looking at the judgemental face on his laptop screen. "Which one?"

"Both," Mithian answered immediately. "You need to talk to Merlin about your father. He deserves a fair warning. And you need to tell your father about Merlin before he finds out. It'll be much worse if he finds out you've been keeping it a secret."

"You sure about that?" Arthur muttered darkly.

"_Yes_," she insisted. "Look, Arthur, you love Merlin. You even asked him to _move in with you_. You clearly want things to be serious between you two. What about marriage, hmm? You can't hide that from your father. If you really want to start a life with Merlin, then you need to tell Uther. It won't be pretty but if you stand up to him then things will work out for the better...eventually."

"Mithian, he'll destroy Merlin's life."

"You won't let him," she shrugged. "Arthur, your father loves you. He'll get over it, I'm sure."

Arthur almost laughed at that. "You're kidding."

She huffed, clearly irritated with his lack of cooperation. "Look, it is up to you. But if Uther finds out about Merlin from anyone other than you, you know everything will end in a massive mess."

Arthur sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. As always, Mithian was right. He did plan on talking to Merlin about his father and soon...but telling Uther about Merlin was something he wanted to postpone for as long as possible. He knew that hearing it from Arthur would be better than discovering he'd been keeping it a secret, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be any less ugly.

"You know I'm here for support if you need it," Mithian spoke again, softer this time.

"I know. Thanks, Mith."

She offered him a sympathetic smile before ending the call. Arthur's laptop screen went black and he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. Mithian was, of course, right; he _did _want to start a life with Merlin. Marriage wasn't really something he'd ever considered but he knew that someday he'd like to have that commitment with Merlin. And he wanted Merlin to move in.

But he didn't want Uther to find out about Merlin. He disliked his father but that didn't mean he didn't love him. He didn't want to lose his father or his claim to the company and he definitely didn't want Uther doing to Merlin what he had done to Jack.

He knew he couldn't have both. He couldn't have a serious relationship with Merlin and keep it a secret from Uther. It simply wouldn't work and shit would eventually hit the fan. It would be better to just rip off the plaster and tell Uther as soon as possible.

Better but not _easier_.

He hated seeing that look in his father's eyes, the look of utter disgust and borderline loathing for his sexuality. Each spiteful word that his father spat at him hurt and each refusal to accept Arthur being gay cut a little deeper. The thought of Merlin having to face that from Uther hurt just as bad and he knew it would be worse because, despite being gay, Arthur was still Uther's son and he was easier on him than he was anyone else. Merlin didn't have that relief. Uther would completely tear him down.

Could Arthur stand by and watch that happen just as he had done with Jack, too bloody scared to stand up to his father?

He knew the answer immediately. He wouldn't ever be able to let Uther hurt Merlin in any way. If he had to, he would stand up to Uther. Even if he lost his place in the company or even lost his _father_...he'd do it for Merlin.

And, scary as that was, it was almost liberating.

**0**

"Hello?"

Arthur blinked, caught off guard by the soft, feminine voice that answered Merlin's phone. He floundered for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Is Merlin there?"

There was a giggle and then a shout that made Arthur wince.

"_Merlin_! Your boyfriend is on the phone!" She then lowered her voice to speak to Arthur. "So, _you're _Arthur, huh? You know, we have bets on how long it'll be before we're invited to a wedding. I'm betting against it but who can blame you if you do pop the question? Merlin's adorable..."

There was a scuffle and then, thankfully, Merlin's voice cut over the girl's irritating babbling.

"_Sefa_," he grumbled. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call across the entire shop that my boyfriend is on the phone. Cherry will pitch a fit."

"He has a sexy voice," Sefa replied coyly. "No wonder you jumped into bed with him..."

"_Sefa_!"

"Alright, alright," she laughed. "Here. I'll cover you."

There was a pause and then, "Arthur?"

"Yes, unless you have any other boyfriends I should know about," he joked.

Merlin snorted. "Sorry about that. Sefa...doesn't really understand boundaries."

"It's fine. Out of curiosity, _was _it my voice that made you jump into bed with me?"

"Nah, it was your tight jeans."

Arthur laughed. "Well, nice to know you have nosy friends too."

"Mm, Sefa's not really a friend."

Arthur paused as something Merlin had said before popped into his mind. _I don't remain friends with one night stands_. He hesitated before asking the burning question.

"Did you and her...?"

"Um," Merlin cleared his throat nervously. "Yeah."

Arthur felt a pang of irrational hatred towards the irritating girl. It'd happened before Merlin even knew who Arthur was, but still.

"Arthur..."

"Look," Arthur said quickly, wanting to move on. "I called because I want to see you tonight. We should talk."

There was a long pause before Merlin murmured, "Yeah, we do."

Merlin had said in Yorkshire that he'd tell Arthur everything when they returned to the city, but so far he hadn't brought it up. Arthur was hoping that if he told him about Uther, it might encourage Merlin to open up a bit.

"I don't just mean you," he explained. "I want to talk to you about my father. Warn you."

"_Warn _me?" Merlin repeated, wariness creeping into his tone.

"I'm going to lunch with my father in an hour. I'm going to tell him about us."

"Oh," Merlin sounded surprised and..._happy_. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Arthur couldn't help but smile at Merlin's obvious joy. "But he's likely to react badly. Which is why I want to talk to you about it."

"Alright. I'm working on and off until nine. Do you want to come to mine at ten?"

"Sure."

"I'll see you then," Merlin paused before adding, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He heard a delighted squeal in the background from Sefa before Merlin hung up. Arthur pocketed his phone and rubbed a hand over his face. This was going to be awkward. He was determined to support Merlin no matter what he told him...but he knew it was going to be an uncomfortable conversation.

Arthur glanced at the clock; he'd have to set off for the restaurant soon. He was going to take the opportunity to tell his father the truth.

_Uncomfortable conversations indeed._

**0**

Uther was already at the restaurant when Arthur arrived ten minutes early. He'd booked a table for three in a quiet corner, away from the other diners. Arthur momentarily doubted his decision to tell Uther about Merlin in public. He'd hoped being in public would cushion any drama...but if his father did cause a scene it would make things worse to be in a crowded restaurant.

A hand fell on his elbow, startling him out of his anxious thoughts. He glanced at Morgana who offered him an empathetic smile. He reached down, squeezing her hand on his elbow before opening the door for her.

Uther glanced up as they approached, raising an eyebrow coolly.

"You're late."

Arthur glanced at his watch. "We're five minutes early."

Uther's look silenced him and he immediately regretted his rebuke. An argumentative attitude really wouldn't start things off well. Taking a deep breath, he sat down beside Morgana, facing their father.

A waiter appeared almost immediately beside them and they ordered. An awkward silence fell over the three of them for what felt like an eternity. It was a familiar feeling; lunch with Uther Pendragon wasn't a lovely family affair. They were always stained with tension and usually charged with plenty of passive aggression. Mostly it was between Morgana and Uther but when Arthur first started to stand up for his sister, realising just how much of a dick his father could be, their father's tyranny enveloped him too.

Uther had always adored Morgana. Spoiled her with clothes and bloody horses and everything her heart desired. She was the typical daddy's girl. Until Arthur reached his early teens. Then Uther spent all his time nurturing him with sports and business and flashing money to get Arthur into the best academies and schools. It wasn't a matter of who Uther loved more, it was a matter of who he wanted to take over the business when he passed on.

When it became obvious that Uther wanted it to be Arthur rather than his eldest child, Morgana had been furious. The house became a nest of loud, shouted arguments, smashed cutlery and loathing. Uther refused to let Morgana have her way and Morgana's resentment grew. Eventually, she started to stay out late and come home completely wasted.

When she was sixteen, she's screamed out in the middle of a row that she was gay. Uther had kicked her out. He'd let her move back in only a week later but nothing was the same after that. Morgana hated him and Uther's feelings were pretty much mutual. There were no more arguments or even conversations, just cold silence.

And then something changed.

It had been Uther's birthday party and Morgana hadn't showed up. Arthur had been nineteen at the time and, despite living in the same house, hadn't heard from his sister in a whole week.

Halfway through the party, Morgana had charged in, paralytic and a complete mess. She'd started screaming, quickly drawing attention and Arthur had been the first one to grab her, trying to pull her out of the party. Her words had been slurred but Arthur had caught 'liar' and 'hypocrite'. Then she'd looked at Arthur as he kicked her out of the party with utter betrayal in her eyes.

Uther had remained calm and unflustered by Morgana's scene. He'd frozen her out of the business, taking away any claim she had to it. It was the equivalent of cutting her out of the family.

Arthur had tried making amends. He'd even started standing up for her to their father, causing Uther's antagonism to switch to him. That was when he'd first started to resent Uther. But Morgana was never home anymore. She stayed with her girlfriend Kara and they were set to get engaged when Morgana, drunk and stupid, screwed some random woman in a bar. Things had fallen apart with Kara and Morgana moved back in.

With Arthur's help, she kicked her alcohol addiction and only a few years later had set up her own business. She was ruthless but damned good at what she did. She'd been there for Arthur when Uther discovered he was gay. They were closer together in the wreckage left from Arthur and his father's relationship falling apart.

Morgana still lived with Uther but was barely home. As far as Arthur was aware, they never spoke to one another, barely even saw each other.

They never spoke about what had triggered Morgana to go to Uther's party and scream at him. They never talked about any of it. Maybe it wasn't healthy, but it worked for them, their secret united front against their shit father.

"Morgana," Uther spoke, taking a drink from his glass of wine. "How's work?"

Arthur noticed her back tense but Morgana kept up a calm facade, looking demurely down into her own drink.

"Fine," she answered. "I've just signed a contract to design the new CYJ building."

Arthur raised his eyebrows, impressed. The CYJ deal was a massive thing and Morgana's company would make almost millions from it. The competition had been tense.

"Congratulations," Arthur murmured to Morgana. "How come you didn't tell me?"

She offered him a quick, apologetic smile and a shrug. Uther gazed at her for a moment but didn't offer any congratulations of his own. Arthur clenched his fist under the table. Why did his father have to be so _petty_?

"I see," Uther said after a moment. "And your personal life?"

"Fine," Morgana repeated. "I'm currently dating a girl who works in IT."

Uther's mouth tightened into a grim line at the reminder of Morgana's sexuality. She stared him down, waiting for the usual response. His barbs never seemed to bother her anymore; in fact, she tended to use the subject to antagonise him. Arthur envied Morgana's apparent imperviousness to the bigoted insults.

Uther opened his mouth, the anger already in his eyes. "I'm certain you'll fuck it up just as you did with that young woman with the tattoo."

Morgana's breath hitched at the mention of Kara.

"Father," Arthur said quietly in warning, trying to draw Uther's attention away from his sister.

Uther appeared to calm himself and took a deep breath, gazing blankly at Morgana. "I met your assistant the other day."

Arthur froze. _Shit_. He'd been certain Uther had forgotten about the whole encounter with Merlin. Pulse quickening, Arthur shot a hurried glance at Morgana, waiting for her response.

"You did?" she asked in surprise, derailed from her aggression.

"Mm," Uther nodded, glancing briefly at the waiter as their food arrived before returning his attention to his daughter. "Marvin, is it?"

"Merlin," Arthur corrected quietly, praying Morgana got the message.

Her eyes widened slightly at Arthur, rage flashing quickly across her face as she realised exactly what the situation was. _Fuck_, why hadn't he told her about Merlin's visit to his workplace? They could have set up a cover.

"Yes," Morgana cleared her throat. "I fired him a week ago. Useless boy, really. I have a new assistant. His name is Mordred."

"Yes, I know all about young Mordred. Charming boy." Uther chewed a mouthful of food slowly before continuing. "You see, I called your receptionist, Morgana. The lovely Vivian. And there's no record of a Merlin ever working at the company."

Anger hardened Morgana's expression; rage that Uther had interfered with her business and also that her receptionist had given confidential information to her father.

Arthur's heart pounded in his throat. He felt suddenly distant, as if observing the wreckage slowly unfolding without actually being there.

He'd postponed telling Uther about Merlin and now shit was well and truly hitting the fan. Under the table, Morgana squeezed his wrist gently in support but he barely felt it. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"And if that wasn't surprising enough, I received another shock yesterday when my good friend Nimueh informed me that during a business lunch at the Savoy she had the surprise of seeing my son with a young, dark haired man – who I am quite certain is named Merlin – and the two of them kissing."

Arthur exhaled sharply as everything crashed around him. "Father..."

"Finish it."

"Father!" Morgana cried. "Please, don't. That isn't fair."

Uther held up his hand, silencing Morgana's protests. "I blame you for his disgusting habits."

Her expression grew cold and she remained quiet, glaring furiously at the man in front of them. Uther turned his gaze back to Arthur and he saw the cold rage there that he hid from his voice. Shit, this was well and truly fucked.

"End it, Arthur. Or I will."

Arthur closed his eyes, his heart sinking in his chest. He had no doubts that Uther would go through with that threat.

"Have I made myself clear, Arthur?"

He swallowed, his voice faint as he answered, "Yes, father."

"No!" Morgana argued. "Arthur, don't. Don't do anything so stupid."

"Morgana," Uther warned, eyes flashing with anger. "Enough."

"_No_."

"It's fine, Morgana," Arthur murmured. "He's right."

Morgana gazed at him for a moment before making a disgusted noise and getting to her feet. She left without another word.

The rest of the lunch finished in tense silence.


	19. Chapter 19

As soon as Uther stood to leave, Arthur was on his feet and hurrying out of the restaurant. He didn't look back and he didn't try to call Morgana. He got into his car and he drove. But rather than escaping the city limits as he normally did, he found himself at Merlin's.

He wasn't sure why he'd decided to come here. Merlin had said he'd be working on and off until late. But there was nowhere else he'd rather be and it was somewhere no one would find him. He knew Morgana would have called Leon to talk some sense into him and he didn't want to deal with that.

He slumped down against the front door to Merlin's flat, pulling his knees up and pressing his forehead against them. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like he was going to be sick. Bile rose in his throat but he swallowed it with a wince at the burn it caused.

Uther wanted him to break up with Merlin but _fuck_, the thought made him feel hollow. How the fuck did he sort this mess?

He heard footsteps but didn't look up until they stopped beside him. Slender, calloused fingers gripped his wrists gently and he looked up into concerned blue eyes.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked softly.

He didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. After a moment, a small, humourless smile flickered onto Merlin's face and he tugged at Arthur's wrists, easing to his feet and encouraging him to follow. Arthur stumbled slightly and Merlin glanced at him with a raised eyebrow as he unlocked the door to his flat.

"Christ, you stink of booze," he muttered, closing the door after them. He kicked off his shoes, hung up his leather jacket and gestured for Arthur to go and sit down.

Arthur had consumed a rather copious amount of expensive whisky (expensive because Uther was paying for the meal and he couldn't help the vindictive, if childish, action) during lunch but he wasn't anything more than slightly drunk. He could hold his liquor.

He heard the bang of cupboards and running water before Merlin appeared in front of him, holding out a glass of water. Arthur accepted it and swallowed half of it in one go. Merlin rebuked him with a gentle "easy" and sat on the cheap coffee table in front of Arthur rather than beside him on the sofa. Arthur felt a petty pang of hurt at that.

"You really do reek," Merlin smiled slightly but there was obviously something bothering him.

"What is it?" Arthur slurred, reaching out.

He sighed in relief when Merlin didn't recoil. He let Arthur grasp his wrist gently, feeling his pulse under his thumb, gazing at him calmly. Arthur tugged his wrist to his mouth and kissed the pulse point gently. Merlin closed his eyes, breath hitching.

"I love you," he whispered against the vulnerable skin of Merlin's wrist.

Merlin slowly stood and gazed down at him for a moment before straddling him, thighs on either side of Arthur's. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Arthur's, closing his eyes.

"You need to sober up and take a shower," he breathed, but he didn't move. He gripped the back of Arthur's neck with both hands.

Arthur slid his hands up Merlin's arms to his neck. His fingertips accidentally brushed Merlin's scar underneath his scarf and, even in his drunken stupor, Arthur's mind registered that he'd done something wrong. He froze as Merlin tensed against him and expected him to pull away, to shut him out.

But then Merlin relaxed against him, sighing slightly. Arthur paused, fingertips still touching the scar. He knew Merlin didn't like for it to be touched and moved his hands away. But Merlin hadn't pulled away from him or tried to push him away again. Arthur's breath staggered slightly at the sign of trust from Merlin.

"Tell me what's wrong," Merlin asked quietly, almost a plea.

"My father told me to end my relationship with you."

Merlin paused at that before pulling away. Panic flashed through Arthur and he grasped at Merlin's wrist desperately, stopping him from standing up.

"Don't," he shook his head. "I'm not going to end it."

Merlin looked down at him, amusement in his eyes. "I wasn't leaving, Arthur. I was trying to make a cup of tea."

_Oh_. Relief swept through Arthur.

"How English of you," he muttered, releasing Merlin.

"That's how we deal with our problems, love. We suppress them with tea." Merlin smiled, ruffled his hair gently and disappeared into the kitchen.

Arthur closed his eyes. Well, he'd made the decision. He wasn't going to break up with Merlin. He refused to. So he would have to face his Uther, defy him, and try and deal with the mess that would ensue afterwards.

He could handle this. He _could_.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and after a moment he retrieved it, sighing when he saw the caller ID; Morgana.

"What?" he grumbled into the device.

"You're drunk," she accused immediately. "Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm at Merlin's."

A pause and then, "I swear to God, Arthur, if you let Uther control you again I'll..."

"I'm not," he cut her off. "I'm not going to, Morgan."

"Good," her voice softened. "In that case, rather than beat the shit out of you, I'm going to support you."

"I don't need your help."

She snorted. "Sure you don't, princess. Who was the first to man up to our father? Me. So grow some balls and stand up to him for once in your life. I'll be right beside you."

She hung up before he could respond and he huffed, glaring at his phone. He pocketed it as Merlin emerged from the kitchen with two mugs of tea. He placed them on the table and sat down beside him.

"So," he said lightly. "I take it lunch with your father went well."

"I fucked up, Merlin. I well and truly fucked things up."

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic. Honestly, you could give any hormonal teenager a run for his money." Merlin smiled, rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious. I put off telling Uther about us for as long as possible and now everything's fucked up."

"Tell me, love."

Arthur looked at Merlin, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. Merlin was here, smiling at him, ready to listen for as long as he needed. Ready to _be there_ for him. The pressure in his chest eased.

"He found out that you don't work for Morgana and he found out about our date at the Savoy."

"Shit."

"Yeah," Arthur smiled at Merlin's way with words.

"What did he say?"

"Not much. He just told me to end things with you or he'll do it for me."

"That's it?" Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Rather anticlimactic, isn't it? It wasn't too bad. Unless you're planning on actually ending things with me, in which case I'll happily remind you of my talents in bed."

"_Your _talents in bed?" Arthur smiled wickedly before mimicking Merlin's voice, crying out, "Arthur – shit, _Arthur..._yes, there, right there. Fuck...Arthur, I'm going to – _Arthur_!"

Merlin gaped at him for a moment, stunned. A delicious blush accentuated his cheekbones and Arthur smirked. After a moment, Merlin cleared his throat and took a sip of tea before answering.

"Well, I'd hoped we wouldn't be faking orgasms so early in our relationship," he murmured and Arthur laughed. "Is that how I really sound in bed?"

"Yep," he popped the 'p'. "You're pretty vocal. But I wouldn't be embarrassed. It's strangely sexy...and having you remind me of my size every other second is a great ego boost."

Merlin laughed but his blush darkened. Arthur reached out, cupping his chin gently. Really, he was just too easy to embarrass. It was cute.

"I'm not going to end things. I'm not a fucking idiot." Arthur muttered. "But if I don't, Uther will get involved."

"Involved how?" Merlin frowned. "Look, I know your father's a rich tycoon and I know he probably has friends in all sorts of places, but what can he do? If you say no, you say no."

Arthur sighed, dropping his head onto the back of the sofa. It was time to start sharing.

"I was in a relationship with this guy."

Merlin blinked. "That's...lovely?"

"His name was Jack," Arthur continued. "We met at uni and started dating after we left. He was a lawyer – it had been his dream to go into law since he was a kid. When Uther found out, he didn't just make me end the relationship. He absolutely destroyed Jack."

"He...made you end the relationship?" Merlin asked hesitantly.

Arthur exhaled, digging his thumbnail into the arm of the sofa. "I don't know why I let him control me. It's not as bad now but back then...as soon as Uther told me to end the relationship, I did. But Jack wouldn't accept it and when Uther found out that he was still sniffing around me, he completely tore his life apart."

"How?"

"He made sure that no law firm or possible clients would ever give Jack the time of day. His career as a lawyer was over. If that wasn't bad enough, Uther pointed out that if he wished, he could have Jack in jail in less than twenty four hours. He's good at that shit and it wouldn't be the first time he's done it. I tried to apologise to Jack but he refused to accept it. After all, I was the cause of his whole life falling apart. One brief, meaningless fling and his career's done. He hates me."

There was silence for a few minutes and Arthur didn't dare risk a glance at Merlin, scared of what he would see. He wouldn't be surprised if Merlin was disgusted with him after hearing what had happened with Jack. He certainly was.

"Right," Merlin finally spoke. "Well, that's...remarkably fucked up."

Arthur swallowed. "I know."

"But not your fault."

Arthur looked at him, surprised by his reaction. Merlin offered him a grin, shrugging slightly at his inquisitive look.

"Your father is an unbelievable arsehole, but that isn't your fault. What _is_ your fault is letting him control you."

Arthur ran a hand over his face, sighing. "Merlin..."

"Look, I'm not going to pretend to understand. But letting him control you isn't going to anything more than guarantee you're miserable. If you end things with me at his request, then he'll continue to control you. You need to stand up to him."

"He'll freeze me out of the company and likely disown me," Arthur bit out and added before Merlin could argue, "And even if I didn't care about that, I _do _care about what he'll do to you."

"What?" Merlin snorted. "The same shit he did with Jack? My dream was to be a doctor, Arthur, and I already fucked that one up for myself so your father can't do much worse. So what if he bothers to get me fired from my jobs? I'll find some other shit, minimal wage job. And I don't give a shit if he tries to get me put in jail. He's not master of the universe, Arthur, just a wanker. I'm not scared of him and you shouldn't be either."

"You may not care but _I _fucking do," Arthur snapped back.

"Well, then, you've got a real fucking dilemma. No one can sort this mess out for you. You either break up with me to appease your father or you stand up to him. Shit isn't going to magically sort itself out."

"_I'm not breaking up with you_," Arthur bit out. For fuck's sake, hadn't he said it enough times?

Merlin's gaze softened. "I know. Look, I'm not leaving you and I'm not going to let you push me away at your father's command. I'll be here to support you, alright?"

Arthur swallowed, the tension draining out of him, leaving him drunk and exhausted. "Alright."

Merlin smiled, leaning over to kiss him softly.

"You're a fucking idiot for driving here drunk," he muttered. "And I'm not letting you drive anywhere _still _drunk. You can sleep in my bed."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Sleep?" he gripped Merlin's arse tightly to make his intent clear.

"I have work," Merlin grinned, pulling away. "You should sleep. I'll be back later."

He shrugged on his leather jacket and pulled on his sneakers. Arthur sighed, remaining on the sofa and gazing at the other man.

"I'll see you later," Merlin called over his shoulder but paused before opening the front door. "Sleep, Arthur. You'll want to be sober for our conversation."

Arthur knew exactly what Merlin meant. He was finally going to open up to him.

"Wait," he stopped Merlin from leaving. "You know those notes and texts you'd been giving me? Tell me something else. Something serious."

Merlin paused, gazing at the doorframe, his head bowed. He seemed to be deliberating and Arthur shifted impatiently.

Finally, Merlin sighed before speaking.

"They used a hot knife."

And then he was gone.

* * *

**a/n: I felt bad for the cliffhanger so I stayed up to get this chapter done and posted as quickly as possible. **

**Next chapter: Merlin finally tells Arthur everything.**


	20. Chapter 20

It took a full minute for the meaning of Merlin's statement to sink in through his drunken fug. When it did, his stomach rolled and he reached out, grasping the edge of the table tightly as he swallowed back vomit, wincing at the sting of alcohol in his throat.

_Shitting __**fuck**_.

He took a deep breath, making sure his stomach was settled again before flopping back on the sofa, throwing an arm over his forehead. Whoever had scarred Merlin had used a hot knife. So they'd fully intended to leave a cauterised scar and make it fucking hurt as they did so. He tried to imagine what it would feel like to have a hot blade slicing through his flesh and shuddered as his guts twisted again.

That image flashed into his mind again, the terrible one of some faceless, vile person forcing Merlin to the ground, keeping him pinned as they cut into the delicate skin of his neck, carving the initials carefully. But this time, there was less blood and Merlin's screams were louder. The blade glowed as it sliced effortlessly through his skin.

He slammed his eyes shut, forcing the image from his mind. Even if it was only a manifestation of his imagination, he knew it could be close to the truth of what happened and he absolutely loathed it.

A sort of boiling rage filled him and he drew in a shuddering breath. He wasn't sure who his anger was targeted at or even if it was concentrated to one person. He felt absolute disgust and fury towards several people; Uther, himself, the monster who'd done that to Merlin. He even felt some anger towards Merlin himself and immediately felt exponentially worse for it.

He had to let go of the anger before Merlin returned. Listening to him talk about it when he was already working himself up into a rage would be, potentially, catastrophic. Merlin was going to open up and share with him and he needed to be calm...supportive.

Still, there was a niggling doubt at the back of his mind: what if Merlin's honesty only made things worse?

**0**

He woke slowly, reluctantly. His head pounded, his mouth and throat were dry and there was a foul taste lingering on his tongue. He groaned, refusing to open his eyes because he knew the light would only make things worse. _Ugh, hangover_. Perhaps he'd consumed more alcohol than he'd thought.

Quiet, muffled sounds reached his ears. He listened carefully as a cupboard door closed, followed by the sound of running water. It took him a moment to remember that he was at Merlin's. He'd fallen asleep on the sofa at some point, never making it to the bedroom. And apparently, going by the noises coming from the kitchen, Merlin was home.

He groaned again as his stomach twisted sharply and staggered to his feet, rushing blindly for the bathroom. It took him a moment to remember that this wasn't his flat and he turned quickly when he realised he was heading the wrong way. Finally, he barrelled into the bathroom and dropped to his knees – wincing at the hard impact with the tiled floor – in front of the toilet.

He emptied his stomach, wincing when he saw it was mostly amber liquid. He'd consumed not enough food and far too much whisky. He shuddered and panted as his stomach convulsed, throwing more and more into the toilet. Finally, his body relaxed and he drew in a sharp breath, pressing his forehead against the cold edge of the toilet. It soothed his overheated skin and he lingered, regaining control of his breathing.

Finally, he spat and flushed, easing slowly to his feet. His knees creaked ominously and he leaned against the wall, cursing himself for drinking so much. Making a point to his father really wasn't worth the shit hangover.

He opened his eyes slowly. Light assaulted his eyes and he winced but let himself grow accustomed to it rather than shutting them again. He felt better having ejected the alcohol but his head still felt like his brain was slamming a hammer against his skull repeatedly. The dryness in his mouth was now accompanied by a revolting mixture of stale alcohol and fresh vomit lingering on his tongue.

_Ugh_.

He pushed away from wall, his hip hitting the corner of the sink and making him wince. The bathroom was way too small. Before he could leave and implore Merlin for a drink, however, his gaze was drawn to the shelf above the sink. Next to the cup holding Merlin's toothbrush and tube of toothpaste was a glass of water and a brand new toothbrush.

He hadn't noticed Merlin entering the bathroom to drop them off for him, too caught up in his stomach's violent twitching. Oh..._that_ was embarrassing. He doubted seeing his boyfriend throwing up repeatedly was an attractive sight for Merlin.

Grimacing, he reached with a trembling hand for the glass of water and was incredibly grateful to find it was ice cold and refreshing. He sipped it slowly at first, knowing that gulping too quickly would make it hit his stomach like lead and trigger more vomiting. His throat felt better but he could still taste stale sick in his mouth.

He unwrapped the toothbrush and was squeezing toothpaste onto it when he blinked in realisation. Merlin had gone out and gotten him a new toothbrush rather than simply letting him borrow his for the morning. Of course, despite having swapped saliva already, using someone else's toothbrush wasn't exactly a pleasant concept. But it wouldn't be the first time and he and Merlin were together.

Merlin didn't want him to use his toothbrush. Maybe he had an issue with germs or was trying to be considerate by buying him a new toothbrush. But he couldn't help but take the refusal to share something personal like a toothbrush as an ominous sign and felt uneasy as he brushed his teeth, frowning at his reflection in the mirror.

He was pale, disgustingly so, and the shine of perspiration on his skin didn't help much. His blonde hair was flat and stuck to the sweat on his forehead. His eyes were dull with his hangover and he wrinkled his nose in distaste.

He spat, rinsed and, after a moment of hesitation, cleaned the toothbrush and popped it into the cup next to Merlin's. He reasoned that it wasn't a sign of moving in or anything but it was likely he'd stay over frequently so it would be hygienic to keep his own brush here. If Merlin didn't like it, he could always bin the toothbrush.

He ran his tongue over clean teeth and drew in a deep breath before leaving the bathroom. Merlin was still in the kitchen and he placed the empty glass beside the sink. He hesitated, watching as the other man poured boiling water into two mugs. He was shirtless, dressed in only a pair of pyjama bottoms, his dark hair ruffled with sleep. He'd clearly slept in the bed without bothering to try and wake Arthur.

"Thanks for the water," Arthur rasped after a moment. "Sorry about the...you know."

"It's fine," Merlin turned. "You slept on the sofa."

"Didn't make it to the bed."

He studied Merlin for a moment, frowning. His eyes were dull and dark circles ringed them; clearly, he hadn't slept well. Merlin handed him a mug of tea and a plate of dry toast.

"So," he raised an eyebrow. "Just how hungover are you?"

"Very," Arthur admitted. "Thanks for putting up with me."

He expected a witty retort or perhaps some affection, but Merlin merely gazed at him for a moment before turning away. The uneasiness in Arthur's stomach grew and he tried to drown it with tea. He grimaced in revulsion at the initial sip but continued to take regular drinks until the taste of tea finally overwhelmed the lingering taste of stale toothpaste.

Merlin poured himself a small bowl of cereal and disappeared into the living room. After a moment, Arthur followed and sat beside the other man on the sofa. Merlin flicked through the five channels he had on his small TV, finally settling on the news. He watched it intently as he ate.

"You watch the news in the morning," Arthur remarked, slightly surprised. Merlin was an intelligent man – getting a place to study medicine was proof of that – but he always seemed to be somewhat disconnected to the real world. He hadn't anticipated that he'd be the type to watch the news in the morning.

"Mm," Merlin answered absently.

"This is..." Arthur laughed, taking a bite of toast. "Oddly domestic."

Merlin didn't answer and the toast stuck in the back of his throat. He swallowed it with a wince and placed the plate of toast on the coffee table, suddenly too uneasy to stomach it. He tapped his fingernails nervously on his knee before deciding that the best course of action was to push. He didn't expect a happy response to it but it had worked out so far.

He reached out and grabbed the bowl before Merlin could stop him, placing it on the table next to the mugs of tea and plate of toast. He grasped Merlin's wrist gently, pulling him closer on the sofa.

Merlin's expression didn't change but something akin to panic flashed in his blue eyes as he snatched his wrist back, shuffling away in a minute movement that cut into Arthur. He exhaled sharply in frustration and took hold of Merlin's wrist again, tightening his grip firmly but not painfully to avoid Merlin pulling away again.

Merlin's gaze hardened but he held still, watching as Arthur pressed a kiss to the back of his hand. Finally, Arthur felt the muscles in Merlin's hand and arm relax as he stopped fighting, becoming pliable to Arthur's touch.

He held Merlin's wrist gently, exploring his hand with his fingertips. Merlin had interesting hands. They were paler than Arthur's own and more slender, his fingers leaner, like a pianist's. Whereas Arthur's hands were admittedly soft, his nails tidy, Merlin's hands were a lot different; his skin was warm, dry and rough to the touch in a way that was oddly likeable. His nails were kept short and were uneven – snapped off by manual work, most likely. There was a slim band of slightly discoloured skin around his thumb where he'd clearly worn a ring constantly but for some reason wasn't now. Arthur brushed his fingertips over the calloused skin before sliding them down to the softer, silkier flesh of Merlin's wrist.

"I know you, Merlin," Arthur said amiably, but he let Merlin know in his expression that he wasn't putting up with this bullshit. "I know you probably spent last night working yourself up into a panic about telling me about your past. I know this is your way of defending yourself. But enough. I'm here, alright? _I'm here_."

Merlin stared at him for a long moment before flicking his gaze to Arthur's hand holding his. After a moment he swallowed and nodded.

"Yeah," he murmured. "You are."

"You don't have to talk to me about it, not yet. Whenever you're ready."

"I _want _to, I just..." Merlin hissed out a breath in frustration.

Arthur wordlessly tugged on Merlin's wrist until he leaned against him. He shifted their bodies so he could lift his legs onto the sofa, tangling them with Merlin's as he lay with his back along Arthur's chest, arms folded underneath Arthur's. He nuzzled Merlin's throat soothingly.

"I know you saw the necklace, Arthur. I'm not as oblivious as you might think. The initials stand for Freya Elwell but we always joked that the 'E' stood for Emrys." There was a soft fondness in Merlin's tone. "She was my fiancée."

Arthur forced his posture to relax, knowing that thinking too much into it right now would cause Merlin to shut him out. He'd suspected that the initials were of someone close to Merlin, perhaps a girlfriend, but he hadn't thought for a moment that it would be a _fiancée_. Pushing down the emotion he felt at that, he rubbed soothing circles on Merlin's wrists, encouraging him to continue.

"Christ, Arthur, we were young but I really loved her. I met her shortly after I moved to London and we'd only dated for a few months before we bought a flat together. I just..." he took a deep breath before continuing. "She was...brilliant. Truly remarkable. You know those people that are just always happy no matter what? She was like that but also gentle and supportive. She could read people an instant. She was the best person in my life and..."

"She died," Arthur finished quietly.

Merlin nodded, his voice faint as he continued. "It happened a year and a half after we met. She was an architect and had just started her own business. It was going strong and I was fucking proud of her, I really was. She was incredible and seeing her so happy made me feel like...like nothing could ever go wrong. She was going to align with another successful company but...I never found out what exactly happened, but somehow it fell through and that's when everything went wrong."

Arthur squeezed him gently, running his lips over his bare shoulder. He was beginning to feel queasy but he was also beyond elated that Merlin, no matter how painful it was, was finally talking to him about this.

"She just shut me out completely. I kept trying to find out what was going on, trying to _help_ her and she just...she didn't speak to me. She frequently came home late completely wasted and I couldn't help but think that she was bored of me..._fuck_, I accused her of having a bloody _affair_. I was such a prick. If I'd just _looked_, I would have seen what was really going on instead of arguing..."

"Merlin," Arthur breathed, pulling him back from his guilt.

"She just kept drinking and she wouldn't talk to me about what was wrong. And then, one night, she didn't come home. I thought she was out screwing somebody else and I was so fucking angry. It wasn't until the next day that I found about the accident. She'd driven drunk and careened the car right into a wall. Dead on impact, they told me." He was quiet for a moment before whispering, "I had to identify her body."

_Christ_. Arthur swallowed, unconsciously pulling Merlin closer. It wasn't exactly a shock that he had lost someone but hearing the pain still raw in Merlin's voice cut into him. He didn't want to hear him suffering.

"What about...?" Arthur trailed off, regretting pushing Merlin.

The other man was quiet for a moment before sighing softly, tensing in Arthur's arms. He continued to rub circles on his wrists, comforting him.

"Her brothers," he finally answered. "They're...well, criminals would be a polite term for it. I never really dealt with them when I was with Freya. I knew she came from a bad background but she wasn't a bad person. Her brothers...well, they were. Two months after Freya's funeral, I crossed into what they consider 'their territory'. They cornered me immediately; they'd clearly been waiting."

Arthur closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against Merlin's shoulder. His chest was constricting but he remained silent, waiting for Merlin to continue. He had to hear this.

"They pinned me to the wall, held my arms down so I couldn't fight back. They let me see the knife and the lighter first before they heated the blade up, just so I knew what was coming. The feel of the knife was..." he trailed off, tremors taking hold of his body. "It only hurt for a little while but it was the worst pain I've ever felt. I could feel my skin burning, the blood trickling down my back, the knife ripping into me. I threw up and they didn't stop until they'd finished. By the time they had, I'd gone numb. Then they were gone and I passed out. It was only when I woke up a little while later that I managed to get to hospital. They showed me what they'd carved into my skin.

"I was going to marry Freya. I planned to spend the rest of my life with her and I _loved _her. Yet I failed to catch what was going on until it was too late. They blamed me for her death so they left me a reminder." He paused, swallowing. "If I ever go near their area again, they'll kill me."

Arthur felt like he was going to be sick. This was..._fuck_. It was worse than he'd imagined, so much worse. His stomach twisted but he refused to give in to the urge to throw up. He wasn't sure what to say...he didn't think he could say _anything_. He felt disconnected, still trying to let Merlin's honesty sink in.

At his silence, Merlin suddenly got to his feet, stretching slightly. When he glanced down at Arthur, his expression was cold, his eyes shuttered. Arthur could practically see him building his walls back up, brick by brick, shutting Arthur out again.

"Don't," he reached out, grasping Merlin's wrist before he could leave. "Don't shut me out. I...I don't know what to say, Merlin. That's just...fuck, it's..."

"I know," Merlin looked away. "I know, alright? You see now why Gwaine's protective of me."

"And why you prefer one night stands to actual relationships," Arthur added. "You push people away because you're scared of losing someone else."

Merlin didn't answer but his posture tensed, his fists clenched tightly. Arthur got to his feet, reaching out hesitantly.

"Thank you for telling me," he murmured, cupping Arthur's face gently. He pulled him in, resting their foreheads together. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere, okay? I love you."

Merlin moved to press his face against Arthur's shoulders, wrapping his arms tightly around the muscular frame. Arthur stroked his back soothingly, swallowing as he felt the tremors increase as Merlin finally let go, his tears soaking into his shirt.

"I love you," he repeated quietly. "And I'm not going to leave you."

Merlin clutched him tighter and Arthur simply held him.

* * *

**a/n: ugh, I'm really not happy with this chapter. It's a pretty important and pivotal one for obvious reasons and I've rewritten it numerous times but I can't seem to get the 'feel' of it quite right. In the end I just decided to post it. I know it is terrible and I'm sorry.**


	21. Chapter 21

_Is it done?_

_**Uther Pendragon  
Pendragon Corps.  
**_

It was rare that Arthur received text messages from his father but he had to snort every time. It was so like Uther to sign a_ text_ with his full name and business, even when the recipient was his own son.

He sighed, dropping his mobile phone onto the bed next to him. It wasn't exactly a pleasant way to wake up. He knew exactly what 'it' was; breaking up with Merlin. He'd (rather cowardly, yes) decided that he would tell Uther he wasn't ending things with Merlin only when his father asked. He'd had a pleasant two days not having to worry about it. Until now.

He threw an arm over his eyes, reluctant to get out of bed. He didn't have work but he knew he couldn't spend the day being lazy. He wanted to speak with Morgana. After all, she'd faced off with Uther about similar matters only a few years before. She might have some advice.

Then again...Uther had effectively frozen her out of the company and disowned her. The only reason he left her and her personal life alone was because he didn't really _care _anymore. That wasn't the result Arthur was aiming for.

He grabbed his phone again, glancing at the time. He'd been out until the early hours with Leon and Elyan and he'd slept in until noon. He opened a new text message to Morgana.

_Are you busy? Need to talk.  
Regarding Uther.  
- Arthur_

He climbed out of bed as he waited for her response, stretching. He needed a shower, coffee and some magical way to avoid having to talk to Uther for, say, a hundred years or so.

His phone vibrated.

_I'm having coffee with Merlin. – M xx_

He felt himself pale at that. His sister and his boyfriend having coffee together? It was nice that they were getting on but Morgana and Merlin would definitely be a dangerous duo. He could just imagine what embarrassing stories Morgana was telling Merlin and groaned, thumbing a quick text to Merlin.

_Ignore everything she says. All lies.  
- Arthur x_

He realised his mistake as soon as he sent the message. Of course Merlin would tell Morgana what Arthur had just sent him.

_Apparently you used to spend hours running around the coffee table completely naked.  
- Merlin_

Arthur sighed. Bloody Morgana.

_Shut up.  
- Arthur x_

_Feel free to re-enact it around my coffee table at any time.  
- Merlin_

Arthur couldn't help but grin at the perverted response and decided to let it go. There were much worse things Morgana could tell Merlin if she felt vindictive enough to do so. As far as he was aware, he hadn't done anything to warrant any maliciousness from her.

Sighing, he ran a hand over his face. He needed to talk to Uther. He couldn't keep running away from it for any longer; he had to stand up to his father. He'd made the decision to stay with Merlin...now he had to try and sort things out with Uther.

_I'm going to talk to Uther about us.  
- Arthur x_

The response was almost immediate.

_Come to mine at 4.  
- Merlin_

Arthur couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. Merlin had said he'd be there to support him and he was following through with that promise. It was that knowledge that gave him the courage to send the text to his father before he could find an excuse to chicken out of it again.

_We need to talk.  
- Arthur_

_7pm._

_**Uther Pendragon  
Pendragon Corps.**_

It was a short reply but it made Arthur feel uneasy all the same. Uther was a smart man; he must have caught on from Arthur's text that he hadn't followed his father's command to break up with Merlin.

But it was too late to back out now.

**0**

Arthur was ten minutes late to Merlin's. He'd been caught up talking to Mithian. She'd offered more irritating but accurate advice before he remembered he'd planned to visit Merlin and used it as an excuse to end their Skype call. Mithian was lovely, she was helpful...but, sometimes, she was just a little _too _fair.

He knocked on the door and it swung open a couple of minutes later – by someone who was rather decidedly _not _Merlin. He blinked at the woman who stood in front of him; tall, slim with breasts that had to be fake, features almost _too _beautiful, long blonde hair tied in a plait, blue eyes and long, long legs that were revealed almost too their apex. Because all she wore was a towel. A remarkably _small _towel at that.

That didn't bother him at first. Until he remembered that Merlin was also attracted to women. And there was a woman in his flat. A beautiful woman with long hair, long legs and big breasts. Wearing only a towel. A tiny towel.

And then he was definitely bothered.

"Hmm," she drawled, smiling as her gazed perused the length of his body. "I was just taking a shower."

He stared her down, his jaw clenched. He tried to ignore the petty feelings rising within him. Merlin wouldn't cheat. He definitely wouldn't invite Arthur to his flat at the same time he planned to shag some woman. Although, with Merlin, it was often difficult to predict the kind of things he would do.

"You can look, you know."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Not my type."

"Blonde?" she guessed.

"Female."

"Damn," she snapped her fingers, amusement clear on her face. "My vagina always gets in the way."

He blinked at her, caught off guard by the crude joke. She had to be a relation of Merlin. The thought eased the tension in his shoulders and he hoped he'd guessed correctly. Otherwise he'd have to ask why Merlin had a naked woman in his flat.

"So, gay," she pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Not Gwaine, then, or Lance. Percy?"

"I'm Arthur."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened. "The _boyfriend_."

"Yes," he shifted his weight, glancing into the flat over her shoulder. "Is Merlin in?"

"He called a little while ago; he's got an extra shift at the coffee shop. Come on in and wait." She glanced at him over her shoulder as she disappeared back into the flat. "I'm Isolde, by the way. His cousin. So the look of 'I'll kill him if he's cheating' on your face can disappear round about now."

He nodded, closing the front door behind him and following her into the living room. She made herself comfortable on the sofa, crossing her long legs so the towel hiked up, revealing a thigh. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

Goosebumps swept along his arms. Even in his long sleeved shirt and jacket, he was freezing. It was colder in the flat than it had been outside. He glanced at Isolde.

"Look, you said it yourself: you have a vagina. Therefore, I'm not interested. You must be freezing; put some clothes on. Anything."

"Mm, Merlin said you're very gallant," she murmured, getting smoothly to her feet.

So Merlin had talked about him a lot to her. Yet he hadn't, until now, known Merlin even had a cousin nor that she was, apparently, visiting. Merlin had said he didn't have any family that he spoke to. But he'd met Hunith and now he'd met his cousin.

He'd thought they were past hiding things.

Isolde returned, dressed in jeans, a thick jumper and socks, just as he was approaching the radiator. It was stone cold.

"I'm going to turn the heating up," he muttered.

"I wouldn't bother," she replied, flopping onto the sofa. "Merlin's landlord cut off his heating a few days ago."

"What?" Arthur turned to her, frowning. "Why?"

She gazed at him, clearly surprised by the question. "He...didn't tell you?"

"No," he answered through gritted teeth. "Tell me."

She sighed, picking at a loose thread on her jumper. "He was fired from his job a little while ago. He ran out during one of his shifts with the cleaning company and they sacked him for it."

Arthur stilled. Merlin had ran out on that shift because he'd called him, needing his help after his father had been his usual asshole self. And Merlin had been fired for it. Why hadn't he said anything?

"Because of the unexpected loss of one of his incomes, he couldn't make the rent. So the landlord's cut off his heating until he can afford to pay for it again."

Arthur sat down heavily on the coffee table, massaging his temples. Why hadn't Merlin _told _him? He thought that they were past the secrets. But this was two surprises he'd had in the space of half an hour.

He was trying not to be angry with Merlin, he really was. But it was boiling just beneath the surface. He wasn't naive or an idiot; he hadn't expected that sharing with Merlin and him doing the same would magically make things perfect. He didn't believe that they'd suddenly tell one another every single thing and secret.

But something like Merlin losing his job and not being able to afford rent? His _heating _being cut off? To Arthur, that seemed like something you'd talk to your partner about. Yet Merlin hadn't said a single word.

Merlin liked his privacy. He wasn't used to being open with people and he wasn't used to being in a serious relationship. Arthur got it, really, he did. He understood.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Have I fucked things up?" Isolde grimaced, twisting the loose thread nervously around her little finger. "Because I'm sure Merlin wasn't..."

"It's fine," he cut her off.

Silence stretched between them. After a moment, she stopped picking at the thread in favour of tapping her fingernails against the arm of the sofa. The rhythmic, dull _thud _of her nails against the soft material set Arthur's teeth on edge.

"I need tea," he grumbled.

He left Isolde on the sofa and hunted through the kitchen cupboards for tea. He found biscuits, hot chocolate, out of date crackers and a bulk packet of _Rolo_s, but no tea. Still, both the cupboards and the fridge were better stocked than last time he'd perused them, which was good. No matter what Merlin claimed, his eating habits definitely weren't healthy.

"I wouldn't bother," Isolde spoke up, appearing in the doorway. "We ran out this morning."

He sighed but flicked on the kettle anyway, deciding that hot chocolate was better than nothing.

"Would you like one?"

She shook her head. "I don't have a sweet tooth like Merls."

There was genuine affection in her voice as she used the nickname and Arthur frowned as he spooned dark powder into a mug. Here was another family member that clearly adored Merlin. But he didn't talk about his family much and Arthur had gotten the impression that he didn't have any family besides Hunith that cared for him.

He studied Isolde thoughtfully as he waited for the kettle to boil. She gazed back calmly, raising an eyebrow at his speculative expression. A cousin. Merlin had mentioned an uncle – the one that had been killed – but he hadn't thought Merlin had any extended family beyond that. Merlin _had _said he didn't have any family that he spoke to...but _why_? Why push them away?

"You love him, don't you?"

He blinked, startled by the question. Isolde sat at the table, cupping her chin in her hand as she stared at him.

"I...well, yeah."

"Good," she nodded, frowning slightly. "That's good."

He offered a hum of agreement and turned in relief when the kettle finally boiled. He poured hot water into the mug, stirring it quickly. He didn't drink hot chocolate that often but Morgana had taught him when they were kids how to avoid getting clumps of powder on the surface of the drink. He found half a pint of milk in the fridge and poured just a little bit in.

"Because he needs love," Isolde suddenly said. "He won't accept it from us. But if he can from you then...that's good. Because he needs it."

Arthur turned, taking in her sad smile and bleak eyes. Not certain how to respond to her comment, he took a sip of hot chocolate – and immediately grimaced. Isolde's tense expression softened and she laughed as Arthur turned, spitting the mouthful of chocolate into the sink.

"Christ," he groaned, turning on the tap to rinse the liquid down the drain. "That was disgusting."

"Caramel and marshmallow flavoured hot chocolate," she explained. "Like I said, Merlin has a sweet tooth."

"There's sweet and then there is sickly," he muttered.

Isolde's response was cut off by the front door closing. Merlin appeared in the doorway a moment later, looking tired and unhappy. Arthur took in the carefully blank expression, the tightness around Merlin's eyes and tense posture and offered a small smile.

Merlin crossed the room and slid his arms around Arthur, pressing a quick but firm kiss against his mouth. Arthur smiled and, despite Isolde watching with a warm smile, nuzzled Merlin's temple gently.

"You okay?" he murmured in his ear.

Merlin blew out a sigh as he turned away, lifting a shopping bag onto the counter. "Shit day at work. I'm fine." He pulled out more biscuits, milk, bread and a box of tea. "I knew you'd probably be complaining about my lack of tea."

Arthur grinned appreciatively and flicked the kettle on again to make tea.

"Did you see your father?"

He shook his head as he spooned sugar into the mugs. "I'm seeing him later."

Merlin offered him a smile and squeezed his wrist gently as he passed, putting away the rest of his shopping. Arthur glanced first at Isolde, who was watching them keenly, then at Merlin before dropping his gaze to the counter as he waited for the kettle to boil.

"I've just been talking to Isolde," he said, his tone carefully neutral. "I didn't even know you had a cousin."

He glanced up, meeting Merlin's gaze. The other man studied him, clearly taking note of the lingering anger in Arthur's eyes, and his expression went smooth in response. Arthur sighed in frustration.

"Isolde," Merlin glanced at the girl at the table. "Weren't you going to go meet your friend at the pub?"

"I don't mind being late," she waved a hand dismissively. "This is the most entertainment I can have considering you don't have Sky."

"Go."

She sighed but got to her feet. "Fine, I'm going. Give me a call once you've finished having make up sex."

They waited until they heard the front door close before Merlin turned, leaning the small of his back against the counter as he folded his arms. He gazed calmly at Arthur for a moment before speaking.

"Isolde turned up on my doorstep late last night. She needs a place to stay since her asshole of an ex boyfriend kicked her out yesterday."

Arthur felt a little of his anger soften at that. Okay, so Merlin hadn't been deliberately keeping it a secret from him. He just hadn't had chance to tell him about her yet.

"You told me you don't have any family that you speak to," Arthur asked the question before he let go of his anger completely. He didn't want to argue but he wanted to know. "But I've met Hunith and now your cousin."

Merlin stared him down but when it became obvious that Arthur wasn't backing off, his expression hardened to ice, hostile but giving nothing away. Arthur gritted his teeth in frustration. Why did Merlin have to be so _difficult_?

"You know," he bit out. "You can actually talk to me and answer my questions rather than acting as if you haven't heard me."

"Fine," Merlin's tone was as cold as his gaze but he didn't flinch away or break eye contact. "I don't talk to my mother or to Isolde that much, only when I have to. Not since Freya."

"Why?"

Although, Morgana had done the same. Shut them all out, refusing to talk to them or accept their comfort and help. But from what Arthur had seen from Hunith, he would have thought Merlin would need his mother and his family after what had happened to him. Why would he freeze them out?

"Because it was easier than dealing with their pity. I was sick of trying to pretend everything was normal when they knew I was spending my time going out, getting shitfaced and screwing any bloke that gave me a lingering glance. It was easier to ignore them and make them leave me be than to deal with their bloody comfort."

Arthur grimaced at the mental image Merlin's words triggered; Merlin in some random club's bathroom getting fucked by some guy he didn't even know the name of. He'd said himself that he'd lost count. It wasn't so much the number that bothered Arthur – Merlin had been messed up at the time – it was the idea that Arthur was one of those blokes.

"Was I one of them?" he challenged. "Just another bloke who gave you a lingering glance?"

"Oh, for fuck's..." Merlin closed his eyes, tilting his head back in obvious impatience. "No. I was done with that shit long before we met, Arthur. Yes, you were intended to just be a one night stand. But it wasn't...like before."

He took advantage of Merlin's closed eyes and crossed the kitchen, standing close to the other man's body and gripping the edge of the counter, effectively trapping him. Merlin inhaled before slowly opening his eyes, gazing defiantly back.

"How many?"

Merlin didn't answer, instead gripping his upper arms tightly, pulling him closer until their bodies fit together. He kissed him hard enough to bruise, swallowing the moan the touch of their lips elicited.

Arthur had his hands clutching his neck, pulling the other man closer to deepen the kiss before he pulled back, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Fine," he snapped. "But answer this: why didn't you tell me that you were fired from one of your jobs?"

Merlin sighed, the tension draining from his body as he ducked his head, pressing his forehead against Arthur's shoulder. Arthur raised his arms, closing them around the skinny frame to hold Merlin to him, rubbing his back soothingly because, fuck it all, he hated arguing and he loved Merlin.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur asked again, gently.

"Because I knew you'd blame yourself and I don't want you to. I made the decision to leave during a shift so it is my fault I was fired, not yours." Merlin pulled back. "Look, it's fine. The only reason I couldn't make my rent was because I hadn't prepared for the loss of income that month. I'm fine."

Arthur gazed at him for a moment before reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. He pulled out the few notes he had and held them out for Merlin. He refused to take them.

"Damn it, Merlin," he glared. "Either you take it or I'll find your landlord and give it to him. You can't live without heating. You'll fall ill."

"I'm not taking your money."

"Stop being so fucking proud, Merlin. I'm your partner. You can accept help from me when you need it. Or you can just bloody move in with me already."

"No and no," Merlin folded his arms stubbornly. "Look, Arthur, neither of us are ready to live together. You know it as well as I do."

"Fuck this."

He slapped the money onto the counter and left.

Outside, he buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket and sighed. Why the fuck did Merlin have to be so stubborn and difficult?

He half expected Merlin to follow him outside but he didn't. Arthur gazed at the closed door for a full five minutes before swearing under his breath and walking away. He was too frustrated to try and talk things out with Merlin right now. He'd call him later.

**0**

Arthur gazed up at the familiar house, a tight knot forming in his stomach. He really didn't want to be here. It was rare he visited his old home. He either met up with Morgana or she visited his flat. He saw his father at work or at restaurants. Uther's house was outside of the central city. He hated coming here.

Although gated, the house was relatively conservative considering Uther's wealth. It was small and tidy but the exterior had an art deco theme that was completely Uther's influence. It was hideous and surrounded by beautiful, traditional style grounds; freshly manicured lawns, perfectly tended to flowerbeds, even a pond. There was a kidney shaped swimming pool set into the patio. The beauty of the grounds only served to make the theme of the actual house even uglier.

Sighing, Arthur knocked on the front door. It swung open a moment later to reveal Morgana. She offered him a warm smile and beckoned for him to enter the house.

The inside of the house was nicer than the exterior but Arthur hated it even more. It was warmer, cosier...more homely. It had barely any of Uther's influence; the decoration was definitely Ygraine's touch and that hadn't changed at all. Even though he'd never truly known his mother, it still hurt to be surrounded by things that reminded him of her.

"It'll be okay," Morgana said quietly, reaching out and grasping his hand. "I'm here. Merlin's supporting you. It'll be fine." She caught his hesitant expression. "What?"

"We argued."

"Like...a serious one?" she frowned.

Arthur paused but her expression was soft, understanding. Once he finished explaining, she gave a slow smile, rolling her eyes at him.

"Artie, all couples argue," she reassured him.

She hadn't used the nickname 'Artie' since they were little kids and he couldn't help but relax, feeling slightly better.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Things will work out." She gave his hand another squeeze. "Want me to go in with you?"

He shook his head. "No, I need to do this alone. Thanks, though."

She leaned up, kissing his cheek. "You'll be fine, Arthur. Just stand up to him and don't let him bully you. You deserve Merlin, alright?"

He offered her a small smile and she pulled away, patting his elbow. "I'll be in the library if you need me."

"Thanks, Morgan."

He watched her disappear around the corner and sighed before ascending the stairs to the second level of the house. He glanced down the corridor, at the door to his old bedroom, before turning away and facing the door to Uther's office. He refused to let himself hesitate and knocked sharply on the door.

"Yes."

Arthur slipped into the office and shut the door behind him. The interior of Uther's home office was the only room in the house that hadn't been influenced by Ygraine's preferences. It was much like Uther's office at work; cold, impersonal and intimidating.

Uther, still in his suit, was sat at his desk, a mug of coffee resting next to his forgotten laptop. He was scrawling in a notebook but his hand paused when Arthur sat in the chair opposite him.

Uther flicked a glance at him. "Is it done?"

He refused to chicken out. He had to be honest. He swallowed and, heart pounding against his ribs, answered.

"No."

Uther's hand stopped again but he didn't look up. Arthur waited, holding his breath as he waited for his father's response. After a tense silence, Uther lowered his pen and settled back in his chair, folding his hands on his stomach. He swivelled slightly, gazing with an impassive expression at his son.

"Repeat that."

Arthur took a deep breath. "No. I'm not going to break up with Merlin."

"Then you leave me no choice."

"Father..." Arthur leaned forward, imploring. "Please. I know...I know you think it's wrong but...I'm your _son_. Please."

"Get out."

Arthur blinked. He'd expected shouting, fury, threats. He hadn't expected the swift coldness or the blank expression on his father's face. There wasn't even any disappointment. Arthur's chest constricted, a heavy feeling settling in his heart.

"No," he shook his head. "Dad, _please_."

"_Now_."

"Look," he sighed. "Do whatever it is you're going to do to punish me. Just...leave him alone, please. I love him."

Uther stared back, unmoved.

"Oh, come _on_, dad, _please_."

He knew he was begging but he didn't care. The thought of Uther doing anything to Merlin terrified him.

"Dad..."

"Leave."

A frustrated sound left his mouth as he shot to his feet, knocking the chair over in his hurry to leave. He couldn't bear to see the cold look in his father's eyes anymore. It scared him too much because he honestly had no idea what Uther would do.

He left without a glance back, slamming the door shut behind him. The _bang_ echoed through the house and he knew Morgana would be on her feet immediately to find him and help. But he left the house without slowing down, too furious, too _scared_ to deal with his sister.

He called Leon from the cab.

"What's up, Arthur?"

"Are you busy?" he strived for a calm tone.

"...are you okay, mate?" Leon asked cautiously.

"Not really, no," he sighed. "Let's get drunk."

A pause and then:

"I'll meet you at the Lion."

* * *

**a/n: so this chapter took me about nine hours to finish. I just couldn't seem to focus on it. **

**Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate every single one.**

**Also, all story related news and such (maybe previews) will be posted on my tumblr account from now on. So if there are delays, etc, the reason will be explained on there.**

**Link to my tumblr is on my fanfiction profile, or my URL is 'Sherlocked95'.**


	22. Chapter 22

He'd bypassed wasted and gone straight for paralytic. He wasn't sure what made him realise just how drunk he was. It could have been when he staggered past someone and collided with a pillar. It could have been when he tried to start an in depth conversation with the bartender about dolphins or when he dropped his tenner on the floor and couldn't retrieve it until a kind passer by handed it to him. Maybe it was when Leon told him flatly, "Arthur, mate, you're paralytic."

It didn't matter how he knew. It only mattered that the knowledge that he was very, very drunk was there and he felt a wobbly smile form on his face as he signalled to the bartender for another drink. Beside him, Leon shook his head.

"I'm gonna cut you off," he reached out to put a steadying hand on his elbow but Arthur batted it away.

"Piss off," he grumbled.

With a trembling hand, he grabbed the shot of neat whisky the bartender had deposited in front of him and threw it back. He'd drunk enough of it that the liquor had loosened his throat and it no longer burned on the way down. He savoured the taste of the expensive whisky; it had sweet undertones as opposed to fruity, a hint of caramel. He normally preferred ones with a fruity undertone, but this was good – worth the vast amount of money he was throwing away on drinking the stuff.

He lifted his hand, beckoning to the bartender who gave him an assessing once over before nodding. Unlike Leon, the bartender clearly thought he had a little way to go yet before he'd had enough. Either that, or the bartender had been assessing whether the money he was gleaning from the drunken man was worth the potential chaos he presented. Probably the latter. Bastard.

"If you cause a scene, we'll get barred and it'll probably get leaked to the press."

Arthur rolled his eyes at Leon's tone. Normally, his best friend was the voice of reason and he knew even now that he should probably listen to the far more sensible (and sober) man. But it sounded like a fucking lecture and he didn't want a fucking lecture, he wanted to get fucking _drunk_. Leon was his friend not his bloody keeper. He should be getting wasted with him rather than waiting for the right moment to cut off his supply of alcohol.

"Don't be silly, Leon," a snide voice sounded from his left. "His daddy will clean up the mess, just like always."

Arthur turned to glare at Raj. The bloke was perched at the bar next to him, cradling a pint between his palms. Arthur doubted he'd touched even a drop of hard liquor at all and probably hadn't had more than a couple of pints – probably deemed it _safe_ to stick to dull lager.

"Shut the fuck up, Raj," Arthur snapped. "Who the fuck invited you anyway?"

"Leon," he answered indignantly, straightening.

"I thought you wanted a night out with the lads," Leon explained patiently. "Not that you wanted to get drunk and make a fool of yourself. If I'd known that, I would have taken you straight home."

Arthur glanced around the bar. Leon had invited a few of the guys; Elyan, Cenred, Ben, Edwin and fucking _Mordred_. When the fuck had _Mordred _become part of their group anyway? He'd been certain the kid was too quiet and quirky to fit in with his friends. He looked like a startled colt, for Christ's sake. They'd all split up, doing their own thing in the bar when it became clear that Arthur wasn't safe to stick around tonight. Only Leon and apparently _Raj_ had decided to stay close; Leon because he was his best friend and had some balls, Raj because he had brains like a sack of potatoes.

Arthur looked again at Raj, snorting when he saw that the bloke was wearing suit trousers, red shirt and a bloody _waistcoat_, his hair slicked back with gel. Arthur wasn't a woman but he was gay and going by how repulsive the guy he looked, he doubted he'd get laid tonight. He grinned at that, cheering up.

"You definitely look like an accountant," he let his tone convey that it wasn't a compliment.

Raj sniffed and glanced down at his outfit. "I didn't have time to change, okay? _Some _of us actually work full time rather than only come in when they feel like it."

Arthur, despite being well on his way to passing out, chased his anger with another shot of the delicious whisky. He was fucking good at what he did and he worked more than Raj and most of the employees. Just because he wasn't at the office from nine to five didn't mean he was lazy. _Uther_, the fucking CEO, for Christ's sake, rarely actually visited the building to work and he ran the company almost entirely single handedly. If there was one thing that pissed him off, it was people like _Raj_, a safe, tidy little accountant, criticising his work ethic when they knew _nothing_.

"Trust me, mate," he slapped a hand on his shoulder. "No matter what you were wearing, you'd still look like a total tosser."

Raj stiffened and turned to gape at him, as if he couldn't believe what Arthur had just said (well, slurred) at him. He smiled benignly back. He was too wasted to stick to their usual theme of passive aggressive remarks and decided that blunt insults would be much more effective in communicating his dislike.

"I have good taste," he added. "So believe me when I say, no woman is going near you tonight."

Raj's jaw clenched and Arthur knew as soon as the other man's gaze went cold that he was actually going to insult him in return. _Good_, he thought cheerfully. He hadn't anticipated that he would. Too cowardly.

"Good taste?" Raj snorted. "You're dating a poor, lanky fucked up _weirdo_. I hardly call that good taste."

Arthur had never been a violent person by nature, not even as a kid when he got wound up by other boys or by his bullying older sister. He prided himself on having a calm nature and a tight restraint on his temper. His cool patience tended to injure people more than harsh words anyway. It was rare that he was driven to violent anger but _fuck_, Raj daring to call Merlin a fucked up weirdo, to dare insinuate that Merlin wasn't _worthy_, it made him see red.

Before he could give in to the part of him that wanted to break Raj's nose, a firm hand encircled his bicep and he was yanked off his barstool. He grabbed his drink before he was dragged to a quiet corner of the crowded club and he propped one side of his body against the wall in order to remain standing.

Leon gazed at him without sympathy, folding his arms.

"Oh, joy," Arthur huffed. "I'm in for another enlightening lecture courtesy of Leon Jonah." He thought he said that, anyway. Long words were becoming difficult.

"That," Leon tilted his head towards Raj, who was swiftly and angrily headed towards the exit, "was uncalled for."

"He's a wanker."

He took the fact that Leon didn't argue with that as a personal victory. He was sick of Raj's constant digs about him being the boss' son. Alcohol was the perfect catalyst to tell Raj in no uncertain terms to _go fuck himself_.

"Look," Leon's expression softened. "Whatever happened with your dad, getting trashed and, frankly, acting like a complete arsehole isn't the answer."

Arthur snorted. People like Leon who assumed that alcohol didn't help suppress problems had clearly never tried it. The whisky had effectively drowned the anger, betrayal and rejection Arthur felt after his meeting with Uther and had helped him to loosen up. He wasn't thinking about Uther, wasn't worrying and he felt _good_.

Of course, when he woke up the next morning the problems would still be there and he would still have to deal with the aftermath of disobeying Uther, just with a shitty hangover to boot.

He chased that thought away by slamming another shot and smiled insolently at Leon's expression. It was obvious that his friend had bypassed exasperation long ago and was well on his way to well and truly _royally pissed off_. He wondered how much he could push it.

"You know, you're really tame, Leon. You're going to make a really boring husband. Morgana doesn't like dull men."

His words were slurred and it took a moment for Leon to work out what he'd said, but Arthur saw it the instant the words hit home. There was raw pain on Leon's face before his expression shuttered, not letting him see how much he'd hurt his friend with his remark. Using his desire to marry and have a family, plus his feelings for Morgana, had been a low blow and he knew it.

But Leon didn't let loose a cutting comment in return or walk away. When Arthur swayed, he helped him (albeit with harsh hands) to regain his balance and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He dialled a number and kept an eye on Arthur as he held the phone to his ear.

"Morgana?" he said after a while. "It's Leon. Your brother's...well, I think you should come and pick him up...help him. Yeah, exactly. I thought so. We're at Obsolone."

Arthur swallowed, a suddenly bitter burn in his throat. Despite Arthur being a twat towards him, he was still helping him. He really was a brilliant friend. He felt a twinge of guilt. He threw back another shot and the feeling went away, leaving him comfortably drunk.

Then he grimaced. _Ugh_; the bartender had replaced the nice, expensive whisky with a cheaper, watered down version and it was disgusting. He decided he'd demand _why_ he was being given such shitty liquor for the same ridiculous price but Leon's hand flashed out, grabbing his elbow before he could make it further than a step. That was irritating but probably good; he was sure for a second there that the floor was rushing up to meet his face.

"I'm aware you've pretty much soaked your brain in alcohol, but you listen to me, you fucking asshole," Leon crowded him, pushing him firmly against the wall, his expression letting him know that he wasn't putting up with his shit. "You're going to stay here with me, wait for Morgana to arrive and let her take you home. You're going to sleep it off and in the morning you'll remember what you said to me and you'll feel like the shit friend you are. You'll grovel for forgiveness and because I'm a goddamned idiot and stupidly loyal to you, I'll probably forgive you. Now sit the fuck down and stay quiet."

Arthur gazed at him for a moment, measuring just how _done_ Leon was, before obliging, slumping down into the seat. Leon leaned against the wall, arms folded and didn't so much as glance at him. _Huh_, Arthur thought. _I've actually managed to push him too far_. It didn't really feel like a success. It felt pretty shit, actually.

After a few minutes, Leon looked down at his phone, a small frown forming on his face. He glanced between the phone and Arthur before visibly coming to a decision, pushing away from the wall.

"I'll be back in a minute," he held out a finger, snapping, "Stay."

Through the drunken fug, he felt a flash of annoyance that Leon was giving him an order like a dog and lifted his dog in a mock approximation of a canine snarl. Leon shook his head in exasperation and disappeared.

Arthur slumped down, pressing his back against the cool wall. The initial high feeling of being so drunk was thinning and he began to feel tired and sick. He was suddenly all too aware of just how much he'd had to drink and a low moan slipped from his lips at the groggy, nauseous sensation taking hold of his body.

Over the loud music of the club and the ringing in his ears, Arthur heard the scrape of a glass against wood. He opened his eyes slightly to find that some bloke was sat opposite him, offering him a charming smile as he gestured to the shot of whisky.

"You looked like you need another drink," he explained.

Arthur stared at the whisky for a moment, his stomach rolling. Even if he did want to drink the shot, he couldn't seem to gain control of his arm to lift the glass. He rolled his head back, sighing.

"Ah," the guy laughed. "At _that _stage, huh?"

Arthur smiled. "I don't think I've been this drunk in ages."

The other man opened his mouth to reply but paused when a shadow appeared over them. They both glanced up to find Morgana, dressed in her sleek coat over pyjama bottoms and trainers, her hair restrained in a ponytail, stood beside their table. The guy blanched at the cold look on her face, whereas Arthur just sighed.

"Go."

At the low, hard command from Morgana, the bloke nodded and scrambled to his feet, disappearing into the throng of dancers. Arthur tilted his head back against the wall and peered down his nose at his sister as she beckoned for him to stand up.

"He was just being friendly," he slurred.

"He was flirting," she contradicted. "And in the state you're in, I'm not certain you wouldn't go home and fuck him."

"I wouldn't!" he argued, hurt that she'd think he would cheat. "I'd never do that to Merlin."

"This isn't much better, getting wasted and pushing everyone away rather than trying to sort things out with him." She pointed out. "I _was_ enjoying a night in, but then I got a call from your best friend to discover that you've pretty much consumed your own body weight in alcohol and you're behaving like a prick. Come on, we're leaving."

"No."

She wasn't in the mood to be argued with. Her hand flashed out, grabbing his shoulder, her long nails biting into his skin. With strength that belied her slender frame, she hauled him to his feet and kept him upright when his legs threatened to crumple.

"Christ, you're really trashed," she muttered.

"What's wrong, Morgan?" he snapped. His buzz had faded, leaving him tired, queasy and grumpy. "Failed to make someone cry today? Lost your winged monkeys?"

"Ugh," she withdrew her hand, expression cold. "You're lucky I had the sense to bring someone who might actually talk some sense into your stupid mind, otherwise you'd be left here to fuck yourself up more."

He simply gazed at her until he caught sight of someone over her shoulder. _Merlin_. He recoiled, humiliation surging through him. He didn't want Merlin to see him like this. He felt vulnerable and like a tosser and, ugh, way too drunk.

His heart hurt when Merlin stopped in front of him. His expression was carefully neutral but his eyes looked so _sad_. He didn't want to see him sad. He reached out but Merlin neatly dodged the clumsy touch.

"Don't worry," he said to Morgana. "I've dealt with Gwaine plenty of times when he's been in this state. Arthur will be fine. I'll get him home."

"Thanks, Merlin," she looked relieved.

"No."

They both looked at him. Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Arthur," he spoke gently. "I'm trying to help you."

"Just go...please," he forced politeness into his harsh tone. "I need another drink."

Merlin placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think so. Come on."

Arthur reacted on drunken instinct, grabbing Merlin's hand and throwing it aside. He couldn't bring himself to use much force, only dropping Merlin's hand to avoid his touch. He crowded him, glaring at him with seething anger. He wasn't sure where it even originated from, he just knew that Merlin was there and gazing at him with cold disappointment and he wanted it to _stop_. He hated to see disappointment in Merlin's expression. It reminded him of his father and that wasn't right, he didn't want to see Merlin like that.

"_This_," he seethed. "Is a _hellhole_. I don't need your help."

A hand gripped his elbow, pulling him back. He looked down at Morgana. She gazed back with shock and disappointment in his eyes. While he hadn't exactly shoved Merlin and his action hadn't been particularly violent, it had been strong and almost brutal in the anger behind it, and clearly Morgana hadn't expected him to react like that to Merlin.

Leon reached out to Merlin but he shrugged the other man off, holding his hands up in a gesture of _I'm done_. He was gone before either Leon or Morgana could appeal to him. Arthur watched him go, a horrible feeling overriding the irrational anger he'd aimed at his boyfriend.

"Arthur," Morgana sighed sadly. "I really think you might have actually messed things up this time."

Arthur swallowed but nodded in agreement. He really thought he might have actually messed things up too.

"Come on," she murmured. "Let's get you home."

He let her lead him out of the club and into the back of her car. Leon climbed into the passenger seat and Arthur should have been angry at the implications of that – after all, feelings between them was cute, but he didn't really want his best friend banging his sister – but he couldn't bring himself to quite feel anger anymore.

They helped Arthur into his flat and didn't say anything as they left, twin expressions of cold hurt and disappointment on their faces. It made Arthur feel sick.

Yes, he really thought he might have actually messed things up.

* * *

**a/n: unlike Gwaine's amusing drunken behaviour...here we have the ugly side of drinking. **

**I meant to have this chapter done and posted yesterday, but my friend invited me to the theatre. I thought it would be a few hours in a nearby theatre...we ended up in Birmingham (which is about three or so hours away from where I live). It was worth it; the production of **_**Goodnight, Mister Tom**_** was brilliant. I also cried at how beautifully they did the ending. But I ended up getting in really late and exhausted, so sorry for the delay.**

**Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! I also got a couple of lovely PMs and some wonderful people on tumblr commenting on the last chapter and it gave me the warm fuzzies, it really did. Thank you all :)**

**I'm not sure when the next chapter will be done. I have to complete a final draft of coursework which should have been due in today. Hopefully I'll get chapter 23 for next week.**

**Sherlocked95**


	23. Chapter 23

He felt like complete and utter shit. Not just because of the hangover (which, surprisingly, wasn't as bad as ones he'd had previously after only a tiny amount of liquor but still made him feel like death warmed up) but because, unfortunately, he never suffered from alcohol induced memory loss. He could remember everything from the night before and it made him feel like a complete bastard.

He didn't feel too guilty about the things he'd said to Raj. The bloke was a snide tosser and he'd probably have said those things sober if pushed enough. Things would be awkward at work for a while but he didn't plan on apologising, immature as it was. Not until Raj _stopped_ being a tosser.

But remembering the words he'd said to Leon and Morgana made him feel sick. They hadn't deserved that, not at all. And Merlin...

He groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes. Shit, he'd been such a prick. He'd treated Merlin like trash, thrown his hand away, refused his attempts to help. He remembered what Merlin had said about Freya, how she went out and got wasted instead of talking to him, and felt sick. He thought of Merlin holding his hands up, shaking his head as he left. He didn't stay like Morgana or Leon.

_Fuck_.

His heart pounded as he replayed the image of Merlin walking away over and over in his mind.

What if Merlin didn't forgive him?

**0**

He gazed at the screen of his computer. There was a spreadsheet up but he couldn't for the life of him say what it was for. He had work to do but his mind was elsewhere.

Morgana wasn't speaking to him. Leon wasn't speaking to him.

Merlin wasn't speaking to him.

Morgana had sent him a text to make sure he was alive and that was it. She refused to answer her phone. Leon had sent him one email back saying '_not now_' and was now ignoring him. But Merlin's cut the worst. He could handle his sister and best friend being so angry with him, but not Merlin.

He hadn't answered any of Arthur's text messages, emails or calls. Even if he was in when Arthur tried visiting him at home, he didn't answer the door. It had been three days and he hadn't heard a single word from his partner. It was beginning to drive him crazy. Despite the fact that he was breathing perfectly fine – he could feel the rhythmic movement of his chest – it still felt like he was underwater.

He needed a sign – _anything _– that Merlin hadn't walked away for good. This wasn't school and they weren't teenagers; they needed to talk things out and if Merlin planned to break things off, he needed to do so face to face. Ignoring him for so long was unfair and it was beginning to wear thin. Just one text message would be enough.

Sighing, he glanced at his phone again. There was a message but it was Ben. He sent a swift reply back before thumbing a new message to Merlin.

_Will you at least let me apologise?  
- Arthur x_

There was no response and he huffed, thumbing another text.

_If you keep ignoring me, I'll send Morgana.  
- Arthur x_

Which was, admittedly, an empty threat considering Morgana was also ignoring him. He dropped his phone onto the desk with a clatter and rubbed his temples tiredly. He couldn't keep worrying over Merlin, his sister or his friend. He had to get some work done.

He could worry about Merlin later. If he texted back, then they could meet and hopefully sort things out. If he didn't...

He firmly pushed that thought away and straightened in his chair, resolving to focus entirely on work in order to avoid thinking about grim things.

His phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen, expecting it was an answer from Ben. His heart jumped when he saw it was Merlin's number and he snatched it up, unlocking it to view the message.

_Not now. Will._

Will. _Will _had texted back.

Arthur huffed, throwing his phone carelessly back onto the table in frustration. _Will_. What the hell did 'not now' mean anyway? It wasn't a flat out 'leave Merlin alone' so Will apparently wanted Arthur to contact Merlin. But not yet.

Frowning, he dialled Merlin's number.

"Pendragon," Will answered with a sigh. "_Not now_."

"Why?"

A brief hesitation before, "You met his cousin the other day, right? Well, she needed to get her stuff from her old flat. Merlin went with her but her ex was still there and...well, things kicked off. Merlin got hit."

Arthur was on his feet in a second. "Where is he?"

"Who?" Amusement touched Will's tone. "Merlin or the guy that hit him?"

Arthur was tempted to say 'both' but he knew that, no matter how pissed off he was, some stupid vengeance idea wouldn't help at all.

"Merlin."

"He just set off for work," Will told him. "Jarvis'. But Arthur..."

Arthur shut down his computer and grabbed his jacket, impatient. "Yes?"

"You were a dick," Will stated flatly. "So don't expect him to be pleased to see you, alright? You have a lot of grovelling to do."

Arthur sighed. "Yeah, I know. Thanks for helping."

"Not for your benefit, dude. I'm just sick of seeing Merlin moping about."

Will hung up without another word. Arthur shook his head, torn between respect that he was a good best friend to Merlin and irritation that he didn't seem to be quite as approving of Arthur as he had been at the start. Then again, considering Arthur's recent behaviour, he knew he didn't really deserve Will's respect or approval.

But it wasn't Will that Arthur wanted forgiveness from, it was Merlin. And the only way he was going to be able to apologise and grovel for forgiveness was to see Merlin and refuse to let him continue to ignore him.

He shrugged on his jacket and left his office, locking the door to his office behind him. Skipping out on work early wasn't the best idea but it wasn't like he'd gotten much work done anyway. He could make up for it at home by pulling an all nighter in order to complete it. Besides, he'd worked overtime last week. He could afford leaving early just for today.

Ni caught him just as reached the elevators, almost stumbling into him as she jogged to catch up in her heels. She stopped him with a small hand on his elbow and he paused, looking down at her in surprise. He'd never seen her look so flustered.

"Sorry, sir," she withdrew her hand, exhaling sharply. "I've been trying to get a hold of you. I thought for a minute I'd missed you."

"What is it?" he asked impatiently, glancing towards the elevator.

"Mr Pendragon wishes to see you."

_Shit_, not now. He didn't want to see his father – he was still raw from their confrontation – and he wanted to go and try and fix things with Merlin. Ni seemed to catch this because she shifted slightly, her tiny frame blocking his path to the elevator. He almost smiled at that – even in heels, her eyes were only level with his shoulders.

"Immediately," she added apologetically.

Arthur sighed but nodded. He knew keeping his father waiting would only make things worse and the sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could leave and head off to Jarvis'.

Ni smiled in obvious relief and fell into step beside him as they entered one of the elevators. She pressed the button for Uther's floor and folded her arms over her chest, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Between you and me," she lowered her voice, the profession tone replaced by a conspiratorial one. "I think he's in a bit of a mood today. More grumpy than usual, you know? Not sure why but he has been for a few days. Probably your sister..."

_Nope, try the other disappointment_, Arthur thought viciously. He knew all too well what had his father's knickers in a twist: him and his defiance to break up with Merlin.

Although maybe he'd fucked things up enough that Merlin would do the job for him.

His guts twisted at that thought and he forced it out of his mind. He wasn't going to give into paranoid thoughts. He wasn't going to be _that _guy, the one always worried about his boyfriend losing interest or leaving him. Sure, he'd been a dick and he had a lot of making up to do, but he knew Merlin wouldn't finish things without at least talking things through first. He wasn't about to let his relationship fall apart after he'd finally fought his father on the matter.

"Or maybe he's just having lady troubles," she thought, winking. "His diary has been surprisingly empty of meetings with Ms Palmer recently." She didn't look too displeased with her boss' lack of a love life.

Impatience made Arthur's tone nasty. "Does Mr Pendragon pay you to be his assistant or to spend your time indulging in idle gossip about him?"

_Or maybe he's already fucked you over his desk_, Arthur thought with a cruel smile. His father wasn't exactly _modest_ about his exploits.

She flushed bright red, looking down at her shoes. He felt a brief pang of regret at being so short with her but, really, what did she expect? Gossiping about the boss with his son wasn't exactly a wise idea and Arthur's patience was already worn dangerously thin as it was.

"Sorry, sir," she mumbled.

He didn't answer, not trusting himself to be polite if he did. As soon as the elevator doors slid open on Uther's floor, she hurried to her desk, sitting down and facing the computer as if to hide from him.

Arthur sighed; he was acting like his father. He'd apologise to the assistant on his way out...though gossiping about her boss in the workplace with another employee was a shit idea and she'd get in a fuck tonne of trouble for it if Uther found out.

He headed for the door to knock but Ni's quiet voice stopped him.

"Er, actually, sir," she cleared her throat, not daring to look up at him. "Uther said he'd call you in when he was ready."

Oh...that was new. If Arthur called in on Uther unexpectedly, he often had to wait outside until Uther was ready to see him; after all, he was often in a meeting or busy with work. But when his father requested to see him, he never had to wait outside. He normally just went straight in.

Arthur tried not to see this as a bad omen. Maybe Uther just had a last minute call to make or wanted to finish up on some work.

Feeling slightly queasy, he nodded at Ni and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area, tapping his foot nervously against the floor. He hadn't seen or heard from his father since their confrontation and he hadn't been able to glean any information from Morgana since he'd pushed her away. He was going in completely unprepared with no information on his father's thoughts and emotions. Normally he had Morgana to back him up but not today.

Essentially...he was fucked.

The clock ticked each minute away and each one he had to wait made Arthur feel exponentially more anxious. He knew this was most likely his father's play, messing with his head by making him wait for so long before telling him why he'd summoned him to his office. Arthur was more vulnerable that way.

Uther knew just how to mess with his mind, he always had. He knew his son far too well.

Finally, after twenty minutes of waiting, Ni's phone rang on her desk. She paused in typing, much to Arthur's relief – the _tap tap tap _of her fingernails on the keyboard had been excruciatingly irritating - and lifted the receiver to her ear.

"Yes, sir. I'll send him in." She flicked a quick glance at Arthur as she put the phone down again. "You can go in."

He nodded jerkily and shot to his feet, crossing the waiting room to the door to Uther's office far too quickly for him to appear calm. He hesitated before opening the door, taking a deep, calming breath. He couldn't let Uther see how much he was floundering.

Uther didn't look up from his phone as Arthur entered the office and closed the door quietly behind him. He didn't pause, instead approaching the chair opposite his father's desk with smooth, steady strides, praying that he appeared as calm and unruffled as he hoped he did. He folded himself into the chair, back straight but shoulders carefully relaxed, his hands folded on his abdomen. He gazed expectantly at the intimidating man on the other side of the desk.

"I heard that you and a..." Uther glanced from his phone to his computer before continuing. "Rajesh Sorin had a disagreement the other night."

Arthur relaxed, managing to restrain himself from breathing out a sigh of relief. That was all? Raj? The accountant could bitch all he wanted but there was nothing Uther could do. It had happened outside of work at a club and there was no physical violence, just an exchanging of insults. Since Raj had started it, he couldn't really claim to be a victim either.

Arthur was safe and he'd worried over nothing. It seemed that, for now, Uther was being cold and distant but not vindictive. That was good.

"In future, do try and refrain from petty arguments, Arthur," Uther spoke in a bored tone, thumbs moving rapidly over the keys of his phone. "It can invoke a tense atmosphere in the office."

Arthur nodded coolly. "Yes, father." He pressed his hands onto the arms of the chair to stand up, but Uther stopped him.

"That wasn't why I called you in here."

Arthur slumped back into the chair, swallowing. "Oh?"

"I think it would be wise for you to take a week or so off work," Uther said casually, not looking up at him. "It appears that you seem to be a little...off balance at the moment and it would be pertinent for you to take some time away from work to sort your head out. Paid, of course."

Arthur stared at him, his heart lurching into his throat. He knew exactly what this was, no matter how much Uther sugar coated it. He wasn't being kind or helpful. He was giving Arthur a warning that he could force him out just like _that_ and Arthur had no power to fight back.

"Are you..." he trailed off, scared to ask, but knew he had to. "Are you freezing me out of the company?"

Uther looked at him then, his gaze bored. "I haven't decided yet."

He closed his eyes, giving up control on his emotions. "Father..."

"I'm busy," Uther cut him off. "I'll see you when you return in a week."

Arthur nodded sharply, getting to his feet. He didn't say goodbye to his father and Uther didn't offer one in return. He shut the door behind him and didn't look at Ni as he walked calmly to the elevator.

It was only when he was safely isolated in the small space that he let his tight control slip, just a little. He hit the mirrored wall hard, ignoring the flare of dull pain in his knuckles

"Fuck," he breathed, resting his head against the cool mirror.

Uther could freeze him out at any moment and there was nothing – _nothing _– Arthur could do to fight back.

Now he knew exactly how Morgana felt.

**0**

Arthur gazed up at Jarvis' for a long moment before he entered. He'd taken the long route, driving for half an hour in order to get a breather and calm down. The last time he'd seen Merlin, he'd made the mistake of letting his father get to him and ended up pushing his partner away as a result. He didn't allow his emotions to get the better of him this time. He was going to sort things out with Merlin and he was going to do so _calmly_, without the lingering emotion from his father's rebuttal hanging over him like a cloud.

The girl at the counter glanced up when he entered, giving him a swift appraisal before returning her attention to the magazine in her hands with a bored expression. Apart from one guy – a local student, going by the uni hoodie he wore – working solidly in a quiet booth in the corner, shop was empty. He approached the girl at the counter, feeling a flash of disappointment when he noticed Merlin wasn't with her; had his shift already ended?

As he neared, he saw the name badge on the simple uniform – black and teal shirt and jeans – stated that her name was _Sefa_ and appraised her. She was petite, curvy with sleek brown hair held back in a long ponytail and soft features, her full lips painted a delicate shade of pink. She glanced up at him when he stopped in front of the counter, brown eyes framed by mascara coated lashes fixing on him.

"What would you like?" she asked lazily, slipping down from her perch on a stool to wait for his order.

"Is Merlin here?" he asked.

She looked up at him properly then, a wicked smile stretching her lips. "I know that voice. You're Arthur, right? Merlin's Prince Charming."

He didn't answer, instead simply gazing back and waiting for an answer to his question. He wasn't certain why he was being impolite. Sure, she talked...a lot...but she seemed like a nice person. Maybe it was because he knew she'd, once upon a time, slept with Merlin. Or maybe he hadn't calmed down quite as much as he'd thought.

"He's in the back," Sefa smiled. "He's on washing up duty, bless him. The lunch run just finished so there's quite a bit. But he doesn't seem to mind...he looked a bit uncomfortable being up front and in view what with..." she trailed off, looking down. "You know, the..."

Arthur frowned, wondering what the hell she was rambling on about. After a moment, her bright smile returned and she jerked a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing to the door behind the counter marked _Staff Only_. She smiled when he hesitated.

"It's fine," she promised. "Go ahead. He's been a bit mopey the last few days, might do him good to see you."

He ducked behind the counter and headed towards the door, but a cool voice stopped him.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

He turned as Cherry leaned against the counter, raising an eyebrow first at Sefa, then at him. She didn't look too happy about him about to go into the staff only area.

"Oh, come on, Cher," Sefa wheedled. "Just this once. For Merlin."

Cherry pursed her lips, folding her arms tightly. Sefa pouted with a puppy dog eyed expression and Arthur offered a small, hopeful smile to the manager. After a while she sighed, relaxing her tense stance.

"Fine," she huffed. "But be quick."

Arthur grinned and muttered his thanks before slipping through the door. The kitchen was empty save for Merlin at the back, his back to Arthur. His sleeves were rolled up and his arms slick with soapy water as he washed the cutlery with swift ease, clearly used to working on so much cutlery at once. Despite the large pile waiting to be dried, there was still a pile almost as large on the other side waiting to be washed.

Arthur leaned against one of the counters close by, watching the silent man for a moment before deciding to speak.

"Merlin."

Merlin jumped, startled, and swore loudly when a cup clattered onto the side of the sink, thankfully not breaking. He finished washing it and set it aside. He didn't speak for a long moment and when he did, Arthur was totally unprepared for the words that came out of Merlin's mouth.

"That offer to move in with you still standing?"

Arthur floundered for a moment, trying to get his bearings again. That was..._unexpected_, to say the least. When he finally caught up, his eyes widened, his heart tripping slightly. He didn't let himself hope in case he'd got the wrong end of the stick but he couldn't help the little flutter in his stomach.

"Of course," he murmured. When Merlin didn't say anything for a long time he added, "Merlin, will you move in with me?"

Merlin's answer was quiet but steady. "Yes."

An exhilarated grin broke free on Arthur's features. "Really?"

"Sure," Merlin shrugged. "It's not that much of a big deal."

Arthur wrapped his arms around the other man from behind, pressing a kiss to his neck. "Yeah, it is. What made you change your mind?"

"Isolde needs somewhere to live and I'm fairly sure my landlord is eager to get rid of me. Makes sense for me to move out and her to move in without much fuss." Merlin paused before adding, "But I'm still pretty pissed off with you."

"I know," Arthur mumbled. "Can we talk?"

"I'm almost done here," Merlin nodded. "Wait for me out front and we'll talk once my shift's over."

"Thank you."

Merlin turned, offering him a small smile as he grabbed a towel to dry the cutlery. Arthur sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of Merlin's face, now aware of what Sefa had meant by saying Merlin didn't feel uncomfortable being in view out front.

There was a large, black-blue bruise mottling his cheekbone, all the way down to his jaw. His lower lip was slightly swollen still. Will had told Arthur that Merlin had been hit but _Christ_, that had to have been a hell of a punch. Anger tightened his chest as he took a quick step forward.

"Jesus, Merlin," he breathed, reaching out to place gently fingertips against the bruise.

Merlin winced at the touch, the bruise clearly tender – it was still slightly swollen – but didn't recoil, instead gazing at him cautiously. Arthur traced the bruise carefully, frowning. He hadn't expected him to have a physical mark, especially not one so...brutal looking. He felt angry again, but this was a slow burn as he gazed at the bruise marring Merlin's pale complexion.

"I didn't see it coming so I didn't block," Merlin explained quietly after a moment. "It's fine, just a nasty bruise. Nothing broken." He shrugged. "Better me than Isolde."

Arthur didn't say anything, torn with anger and concern. He lifted his other hand until he cupped Merlin's face gently, studying the bruise. Merlin stared at him silently, giving nothing away. Finally, at Arthur's continued silence, he lifted his hands, interlacing them with Arthur's on his face. He gave his knuckles a gentle squeeze, catching Arthur's wince when he felt a flash of pain – his knuckles were bruised and a little cut from punching the elevator wall – but not commenting on it.

"I'm fine, Arthur," he murmured. "Honestly, it's okay."

Arthur swallowed but nodded. He hated seeing the bruise but he knew Merlin could take care of himself. He'd probably handled the situation before it got out of control anyway, only getting one hit for his efforts. Still...he loved this man and seeing him hurt made him feel sick.

For one long moment, Arthur was sure Merlin was going to kiss him. His face was close to his, their hands still locked together, and he was gazing at Arthur with gentle eyes. He stared back, leaning in slightly, waiting for Merlin to close the distance between their lips.

But then Merlin pulled back and dropped his hands, releasing Arthur completely. He took a step back before turning back to the sink, his face hidden.

"I'll see you once I've finished," he murmured.

Arthur nodded, hesitating before leaving the kitchen. Sefa smiled brightly as he passed and took a seat at a quiet table in the corner.

He knew things weren't okay yet...but at least Merlin was letting him explain.

* * *

**a/n: so sorry for the delay...I just started my final term at sixth form and the work is piling on. I was given two literature essays and another heap of coursework to do for Friday and I've had to pull two all nighters in a row in order to get it done so I'm exhausted...BUT doing so gave me the chance to get this finished.**

**Which leads me to my next point...I will try to keep updating at least once a week, I promise, but it will be difficult. I have five weeks left before my A2 exams start (the exams that determine whether I get my place at university in September) so I'm pretty much drowning in revision and homework. I will try to update frequently still...but I hope you understand that fanfiction takes a backburner for now.**

**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them :) This chapter is dedicated to shadowsofariverflame on tumblr. She's done some brilliant images for 'Fire', absolutely fantastic.**

**If you want to see them, they're on my tumblr. If you don't follow me, then I'll post the link to the pictures on my fanfiction profile. **

**Sherlocked95**


	24. Chapter 24

When Arthur left the kitchen, he took a small table in the corner, the furthest one away from the other customers. It had filled up when he was in the kitchen talking to Merlin, the student in the corner now joined by a couple on a date, a redhead with a laptop, and a trio of friends.

Sefa appeared at his side less than a minute later, magazine tucked stubbornly under one arm as she worked under Cherry's annoyed gaze. She offered him a bright smile.

"What can I get you?"

"Er, just a cup of coffee, thanks; white with two sugars." He paused before adding, "And a hot chocolate." At her bemused expression he explained, "It's his favourite drink."

She gave him a puzzled smile as she scribbled down the order. "No, it's not. His favourite drink is a latte."

"What?" he couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice.

She shrugged, flipping her fringe out of her eyes. "Latte."

He stared at her. The entire time he'd spent with Merlin, he'd never once seen him drink a latte. Merlin didn't seem to like coffee in general, actually.

"Are you sure?"

A secretive smile lit up her eyes. "I'm pretty sure."

She didn't elaborate and he didn't get chance to ask what she was talking about; Merlin walked out of the kitchen. He said something to Cherry who frowned but didn't reply, instead offering him her back as she walked away. He untied his apron, ducked under the counter to put it away and headed towards Arthur's table.

Sefa tucked her pad of paper and pencil into a pocket in her apron and smiled as Merlin approached.

"What did she say?"

"She's not happy but she'll get over it; I covered Gwen's shift the other night, so she owes me." Merlin answered, grinning. "But she says you have to take my shift instead."

Sefa's grin faded. "Dick."

He simply offered a wink as he took the seat opposite Arthur and waved her away. She grumbled under her breath as she returned to the counter but didn't look too bothered about having to cover Merlin's shift.

Merlin didn't say anything and, now faced with the other man, Arthur struggled to gather his thoughts to express them. He tapped his thumbnail against his lower lip, frowning down at the table. He could feel Merlin's steady gaze on him but he didn't say anything, instead letting Arthur take the lead in the conversation.

Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Arthur asked the question that had been bothering him. "What's your favourite drink?"

He looked up in time to see Merlin blink, clearly caught off guard with the question.

"Tea," he said slowly, confused. "Milk, two sugars. Why?"

Arthur settled back in his chair, nodding slightly. So he was wrong, hot chocolate wasn't Merlin's favourite drink...but the petty part of him felt a little smug that Sefa had it wrong as well.

"We don't know much about one another."

Mild anger flashed in Merlin's eyes. "You know more about me than most people," he pointed out defensively.

Arthur held up one hand as if in surrender. "I know, I'm not...I'm not trying to start a fight. I just...it doesn't matter."

"I don't know much about you," Merlin continued. "Does it matter? The whole point of a relationship is getting to know each other better."

"I _know_," he reiterated, wishing he hadn't said anything. "Like I said, I'm not trying to start a fight. I came here to apologise."

"Don't."

His head jerked up and he met Merlin's gaze, confused. "What?"

"Don't apologise," Merlin leaned forward, his hand sliding across the table until his fingertips touched Arthur's. "How many times have I messed up and you've forgiven me? I can hardly shout at you after one fuck up, Arthur, and it wasn't that big a deal. You were drunk and angry. You don't need to apologise. I'm still a little...angry, I suppose, but I'll get over it."

He swallowed, stunned by the warmth in Merlin's tone. He'd expected a tense conversation, having to grovel, maybe even an argument...not _this_. In a way, Merlin was right, but he still felt bad about his actions. Just because Merlin had fucked up before didn't mean that he wasn't owed an apology after what Arthur had behaved like.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Merlin smiled then winced as it pulled at his sore lip. "Thank you."

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, but it was comfortable. The tightness in Arthur's chest had eased; Merlin was still here and things were okay. He relaxed in his seat, relief sweeping through him, cool and refreshing. He'd been worrying about Merlin's reaction for days.

Sefa set their drinks down on the table. Arthur reached into his pocket for his wallet but Merlin stopped him with an exasperated look.

"Employee discount," he pointed out as he handed Sefa a ten pound note.

Arthur huffed in annoyance but put his wallet away. Maybe his desire to pay for things because he was well off and Merlin, well, _wasn't_ was a little arrogant, not to mention antiquated. But he couldn't help it.

Merlin took a sip of his hot chocolate before levelling Arthur with a flat look. "Arthur, I'm moving in with you. I used the money you gave me to pay my landlord. I've compromised but you need to as well. I don't like you paying for everything, alright? I can afford to pay for myself."

Arthur didn't really have an answer for that, so he changed the topic instead. "Are you okay with moving in with me?"

"I'll be living in a gorgeous flat with my equally gorgeous boyfriend, of course I'm okay with it. It'll be weird living with someone...it'll be _intimate_, but I think it'll be...good." He shrugged, his blue eyes intent on Arthur. "Are _you_ okay with it?"

"I've been asking you to move in for ages. Why wouldn't I be okay with it?"

"I meant your father."

He looked down, tracing the pattern on the table with his index finger. "Yeah, well, there's not really any going back now when it comes to him. I've given up. I just want to be happy with you now."

Merlin reached out, grasping his hand and he smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing. It unnerved him slightly, how easily Merlin could make him relax, make him _happy_, with just one simple touch. He concentrated on the feel of Merlin's warm, slightly calloused hand and felt the shitty mood he'd been in drain away.

"Arthur," Merlin said quietly. "You get why it upset me, right? You getting drunk and ugly instead of coming to talk to me about what was wrong?"

He swallowed, nodding. "Yes. I was a dick."

"Why didn't you?"

He looked up, feeling like an idiot. "We'd argued."

"You still could have come and spoken to me and I would have been there for you, Arthur."

"I know," he sighed. "I just..." he trailed off, frustrated with himself.

Merlin squeezed his hand gently. "Want to talk about it now?"

He sighed, running a hand over his face with his free hand. "My father's a bastard."

Merlin's lips twitched slightly. "Yeah, I got that much."

"After we argued, I went to see Uther. I told him that I wasn't going to break up with you. He didn't yell...he just looked _disappointed_. Fuck, Merlin, the way he looked at me, it's like I'm not even his son. He just told me to get out. I bloody _begged_ him, told him I love you and he just...he just stared through me and told me to leave."

Merlin didn't say anything but stroked light circles on Arthur's palm with his thumb, silently comforting.

"I saw him at work earlier," he murmured. "He's told me to take some time off. I asked if he was freezing me out of the company...he said he hasn't decided yet."

Merlin pursed his lips, a considering look on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," Merlin said after a moment. "But you're right, your father is a bastard."

He offered a small smile. "Like I said, I've given up. You're what I want."

Merlin's gaze was warm on him. "Don't give up on him just yet. He's still your father."

Arthur shook his head. "No, Merlin. If it comes to a choice between him and you, I will choose you in a heartbeat."

He wasn't given any warning; Merlin suddenly leaned across the table, his free hand cupping the back of his neck, and kissed him deeply. He let out a muffled sound against Merlin's mouth before kissing him back, surprised but pleased.

"I love you," Merlin mumbled after a moment.

He smiled, drawing back slightly. "Are you busy?"

"I'm meeting Morgana for a drink later, but until then, no."

"A drink?"

"Give her some slack, Arthur," Merlin rolled his eyes. "She's stronger than you think. By _drink_, I mean of the non alcoholic variety." He tilted his head slightly. "Come back to mine?"

He grinned. "Thought you'd never ask."

**0**

They'd barely made it to Merlin's flat before Arthur had him pinned to the door, kissing him deeply. He was already burning, lost in the sensation of Merlin's skin and lips and, oh God, _tongue_. He needed Merlin.

Merlin groaned, almost dropping the keys he'd just scrabbled free from his pocket as he grabbed the lapels of Arthur's jacket, pulling him closer. Arthur kept him in place with his hips pressed hard against Merlin's, his hands gentle on his neck. He sucked on Merlin's lower lip, not caring that anyone could catch sight of them at any second. He just let himself get lost in everything that was _Merlin_.

He nudged a leg between Merlin's, relishing the sharp intake of breath it elicited from the other man.

"Isolde?" he whispered against swollen lips.

"Not in," Merlin mumbled, tilting his head back as Arthur's lips attacked his throat. "Job interview."

"Good," Arthur scraped his teeth gently against Merlin's pulse point before pulling back completely, putting space between them. "Get the door open."

Merlin offered him a lopsided grin and scrambled to unlock the front door. It finally flew open and he laughed loudly when Arthur swatted his arse. He kicked the door shut behind them and reached for Merlin but he pulled away, moving quickly towards the bedroom.

"Come on," he called over his shoulder.

**0**

"You know," Arthur said a while later as they caught their breath. "You're oddly cool about my father issues."

"Mmm," Merlin hummed, pillowing his head on his arms. His skinny chest heaved as he panted for breath. "Well, I love you, flaws and all."

Arthur smirked. "I don't have flaws." He swept a hand over his naked body for emphasis.

"You have crooked teeth."

"Hey!" he ran a tongue over his teeth, frowning. "Really?"

Merlin laughed hoarsely, reaching out to pat his cheek fondly. "I like your crooked teeth. They're oddly endearing."

"I do _not _have crooked teeth, Merlin."

"Strange," Merlin mused, grinning. "You never got braces as a kid?"

"_Mer_lin."

"Little Arthur with braces..." Merlin chuckled. "I bet you got those fancy transparent ones. Though I reckon a teenage Arthur with bulky braces would have been adorable...and a lisp..."

"Right," he grumbled. "That's it."

He threw one leg over Merlin's hips, pinning him in place before leaning in, biting gently on Merlin's clavicle before licking and sucking. Merlin swore softly, hips bucking. Arthur looked down at the vivid mark he'd left, triumphant. If Merlin was going to leave scratches on his back, it was only fair that he could leave marks in return.

"Arthur," Merlin sighed as Arthur scattered more marks across his neck and chest. "I'm sore."

Arthur leaned over him, pouting. "I'll make you come first."

Merlin closed his eyes, groaning. "Arthur..."

"You can top."

He cracked on eye open, a small smile gracing his lips. "Make me a cup of tea and I'll think about it."

Arthur scoffed. "I can do one better than that."

And with that, he slid down and proved that, crooked teeth and all, his mouth was _incredibly_ useful.

**0**

"I hate you," Merlin grumbled.

"No you don't," he grinned, exhausted and boneless.

"You're insatiable."

"You love it."

"I do," Merlin sighed dramatically. "You're sexing skills are just too good." He groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes. "Bloody hell, I have to meet Morgana soon. I don't think I can _move_. I'm going to turn up boneless and limping and she'll tell immediately that I've just been shagged senseless by her brother."

Arthur smirked. "The marks would give it away, anyway," he said flippantly. He wasn't concerned about Morgana knowing about his sex life. She was nosy anyway.

"Marks?" Merlin touched the purple marks on his throat. "You complete tosser."

"If it's any consolation," he rolled onto his stomach. "I don't think I can walk either. And you left marks, too."

Merlin eyed the work he'd done on Arthur's back with interest. "Hmm." He suddenly reached out, patting his ass gently. "Get your fine ass out of my bed. I need to go shower."

"I might just stay here," he sighed. "Don't feel like moving...or showering...or getting dressed..."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather you didn't give my poor, unsuspecting cousin a heart attack when she returns home. You can stay here until I get back but at least put some trousers on."

"A cup of coffee and I will," he bargained.

"It's too late for coffee. Tea and you have a deal."

"Done."

Merlin grinned, leaning down to kiss him briefly. He pulled away before either of them could get dragged back under again and rolled out of bed, stretching. He winced slightly as he crossed the room and Arthur felt a smug smile pull at his lips. Merlin made a rude gesture in return and disappeared from the room.

Arthur sighed and rolled onto his back, sated and relaxed. He knew he should shower – he reeked of sweat and sex – but didn't want to shift from the warmth of the bed. He thought of Morgana's face when she realised that Merlin had turned up after being thoroughly fucked by him and grin.

The smile faded when he realised he still had to talk to both Morgana and Leon. With a grunt, he pushed himself from the bed and searched for his boxers. He tugged them on and left the bedroom.

Merlin had showered in record time and stood in the kitchen, hair still damp and ruffled and dressed only in undone jeans – and _damn_, sated as he was it was still a magnificent sight – and pouring hot water into a mug.

As he turned, handing the cup of tea to Arthur, he let his eyes linger on the exposed flesh in the gap of his undone jeans, the small trail of hair there.

"Eyes up, love," Merlin grinned.

Arthur winked and took a sip of tea. He wasn't overly keen when it came to tea but Merlin made it brilliantly, including just enough sugar and milk for it to taste good. He took another drink and set the mug down on the counter.

Merlin returned to the bedroom briefly and came back fully dressed, his hair neat. He grabbed his keys and wallet, pocketed them, and turned to Arthur with a stern look.

"You need to speak to your sister and apologise."

"I know," he sighed, folding his arms over his chest. He offered a hopeful look. "Could you soften her up for me, make her more amiable?"

Merlin shook his head. "Fine."

He grinned. "Love you."

Merlin leaned in, kissing him softly. "I'll see you later."

* * *

**a/n: this chapter really didn't want to be written. But I've stayed up for almost 60 hours now in order to complete and it is finally done.**

**I saw Iron Man 3 on Thursday and it was amazing. I spent the whole film completely enraptured...it was fantastic and I definitely recommend watching it if you're a Marvel fan. And Star Trek into darkness comes out in May...I've adored Star Trek since I was a kid and watched the series and films with my dad, so I'm ridiculously excited for the latest one. Even more so since finding out that Benedict Cumberbatch is playing John Harrison.**

**I went on my first ever date today! But this is finally posted and I can sleep.**

**Feel free to come over to tumblr and say 'hi'. Comments on 'Fire' are always welcome but I love meeting new people, so a 'hello' is welcome :)**

**Sherlocked95**


	25. Chapter 25

Isolde returned to the flat just as Arthur was leaving. As tempting the idea of just staying in bed until Merlin got home was, he needed to catch up on the work he'd left earlier. He left a note for Merlin on the fridge and headed for the door just as it opened.

Isolde paused as she hung up her coat before offering him a smile. "Hey there, stud. I take it you and Merls made up?"

"We did."

Her nose wrinkled slightly. "Well, I'm glad I was out during the make up sex." She started towards the kitchen. "Cup of tea?"

"I was just heading off actually," he shook his head. "But thanks."

She turned to him, pouting. "One cup of tea," she reasoned, holding up her index finger.

She was wearing elbow length knitted gloves but the one on the arm she held up had been shoved up around her wrist as she removed her coat, exposing a series of dark bruises against the pale, vulnerable flesh of her forearm. Even with several feet between them, Arthur could tell what they were: fingerprints.

Isolde noticed where his attention was and dropped her arm quickly, pulling the glove up so it covered her arms from knuckles to elbow. She crossed both arms over her chest, flipping blonde hair over one shoulder to level with a flat look.

"Actually," Arthur said after a moment. "I think I'll have that cup of tea."

Her eyes narrowed. "Look, if you were heading somewhere then feel free to go. I don't need pity."

"I'm not pitying you," he gave a nonchalant shrug. "I just thought that if your tea making skills are as good as Merlin's, then I definitely have time for a cup."

She stared at him for a long moment, reading his expression for any sign that he _was _simply pitying her, before giving a small nod. She disappeared into the kitchen and he heard the sound of the kettle being filled with water.

Merlin had said that Isolde's ex boyfriend was an asshole. He wasn't certain what he was expecting but it wasn't _violence_. No wonder Merlin had gone with her to get her stuff from her flat; he wouldn't want to leave her – or anyone - to face an abusive asshole alone either.

Isolde returned and pressed a mug of tea into his hand before sitting on the sofa. He joined her, taking a sip of tea.

"Not quite as good as Merlin's," she smiled. "But I like to think that I can hold my own in the tea making department."

He settled back on the sofa, cradling the mug between his palms. He glanced at Isolde's arms but they were both still hidden by the fingerless gloves. The bruises had looked fresh; still dark and beginning to develop as opposed to yellowing around the edges.

"I'm sorry about Merlin," Isolde abruptly murmured, pointing to her face. "You know, the bruise."

"It's not your fault," he paused before asking, "What happened?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I told Merlin that I was going to go back to my flat to get my stuff and he offered to come with me. I'd hoped that Daryl would be out but...well, no such luck. He was also wasted." A bitter smile touched her lips. "An alcoholic, abusive serial cheater; I sure do pick them, huh?"

Arthur had no idea what to say to that. He didn't know her well enough to offer any kind of adequate comfort and no wonderful words of wisdom came to mind other than "I'm sorry", which would likely insult her more than anything else. Thankfully, she continued after a moment.

"I told him I wanted my stuff back and he refused," she shook her head slightly. "Like he'd ever cooperate, especially in the state he was in. Anyway, things got ugly and we got into a nasty row. He went to hit me and Merlin...he stepped in front of me and took the punch."

Arthur's throat tightened at that. Merlin had implied that the punch was meant for him, not Isolde. But he'd stepped in front of her to protect her. He shook his head slightly, unable to stop the smile that tugged at his lips. Of course Merlin would do that. He was an idiot, clumsy and sometimes impossible to deal with, but of course he would take a punch for someone. It was bloody _Merlin_.

"It floored him and there was blood and for a moment..." she grimaced, taking a quick drink from her mug. "It looked like he wasn't going to get up. But he did and he just...he just looked at Daryl. I thought for a moment that he was going to hit him back or shout...but he just looked at him calmly before telling me it wasn't worth it. So we left." She looked down, smiling. "Sometimes, the way he acts, it's like he's wise beyond his years, you know? And I think that's because of Freya."

She looked up at him then, gauging his reaction to the name. Arthur hated himself, he truly did, for the pang of jealous hurt he felt at the mention of the girl Merlin had loved. Merlin had loved her and gone through hell being with her before losing her. It wasn't fair of him to envy her when she was...gone...and Merlin had been destroyed because of it. But he still couldn't get rid of that petty part of him that wriggled its way into his chest at the mere mention of her name.

Was it normal to be jealous of a girl who he'd never met and had been dead for years?

"I'm a terrible person," Arthur murmured, looking away from Isolde's knowing blue eyes to stare down at the brown liquid in his mug.

"Why?" she prodded gently.

"Because I hate her," he shook his head bitterly. "I know nothing about her, I've never met her – hell, I don't even know what she _looks _like – but I hate her."

_I bet she was beautiful_.

He immediately banished that thought, locking it away in his folder of _bad thoughts_.

"Merlin loved her, completely and utterly adored her. He planned to spend the rest of his life with her. And even though she's dead, I still envy her for having that. For having what I'm not certain I'll ever really have from Merlin. I hate her for _using_ that and wasting it, treating Merlin like he wasn't worth it. I hate her for doing what she did to him when she died." He looked up, saying possibly the worst words he'd ever spoken. "And part of me is glad that she died because otherwise he wouldn't be with me now."

Isolde didn't say anything in response and Arthur swallowed.

"Does that make me a shit person?"

She reached out and squeezed his wrist gently. "No. It makes you human."

They lapsed into silence. He knew Isolde wanted to say more on the matter but he really didn't want to talk about this so he quickly spoke first, shifting topic.

"How was the job interview?" At her bemused look he added, "Merlin told me."

"Er," she ran a hand through her hair. "It was fine, thanks."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow and reached out slowly, taking hold of her wrist gently. He looked up at her expression for any signs of protest but she merely gazed at him quietly as he peeled off the glove, exposing the bruises. "Because these look fresh. As in, _today _fresh."

She huffed. "Okay, so I lied." She pulled her arm back but didn't replace the glove, instead tracing the bruises with her fingertips. "I didn't want Merlin to be in the firing line again if things got nasty. I'm already guilty about the one hit."

"Why did you go back there?"

"I was too in shock to really make sense of things when Merlin first got hit," she explained. "But overnight I was thinking about it and I...I just got so _mad_. Who the fuck does he think he is to hurt me or anyone else? So I went round there and, well, long story short, I can go get my stuff tomorrow while Daryl is out." She looked up at him. "Don't tell Merlin that I lied?"

"So long as you don't tell him what I said about Freya."

"Deal."

"Thank you," he leaned in, kissing her cheek. "I should head off. But really...thank you. It was good to talk about...you know."

"No problem," she waved him off.

He bid her goodbye and left the flat, somehow feeling better despite the heavy conversation about Freya. It was good to speak his thoughts out loud rather than letting them fester...and it was good knowing that he wasn't necessarily a bad person, that someone understood.

Maybe it was an Emrys family trait, being able to calm and comfort people with one conversation.

**0**

Arthur rubbed his eyes, gazing at the screen in front of him. The office was dead at this time apart from a few night owls doing overtime and the cleaners. The only sound was the low hum of his computer and the sound of an industrial vacuum cleaner somewhere down the corridor.

He was tired. The sex and lack of sleep had exhausted him, but he needed to get the work finished. Still, it was easier to get it done at this time when he was somewhat alone than during the day when he was surrounded by other employees. Especially employees like Raj. Dick.

He turned his attention to the paperwork on his desk and sighed. He _hated_ this part of the job...which was probably why Uther loaded so much of the financial stuff on him.

It was ten minutes into it when he was finally being dragged into the repetitious, almost soothing cycle of work that he noticed it. Frowning, he rubbed a hand over his eyes and double checked.

No, it was definitely there.

Swearing quietly, he flipped open two other folders, scanning over the small print. A seething anger built in his chest. _Motherfucker_.

Some bastard was embezzling funds from the company.

He grabbed the folders and shot out of his seat, barely taking a moment to power down his computer before hurrying out of the office. Uther would be working at this time too and, no matter how reluctant he was to see his father after their last conversation (especially since he'd been told to take some time off work and was currently, technically, defying that instruction), he needed to go to his father about this. He was best equipped to deal with an employee embezzling from the company.

And maybe being the one to point it out would get him in his father's good books. Maybe. Hopefully.

Probably not.

Ni glanced up at him as he left the elevator and hurried towards the door to Uther's office. She got to her feet and reached out, as if to stop him despite the several feet between them. He paused, looking at her.

"Actually, sir, Mr Pendragon isn't in his office," she informed him.

"Oh," he turned to face her, clutching the files tightly in his hand. "Where is he?"

"He's not in the building, Mr Pendragon," she sat back down, smoothing out her skirt. "He finished work early today."

"Yes," he bit out, working to be patient. "But where _is _he?"

"One tic," she held up a manicured finger before unlocking her work phone, pulling up Uther's appointment diary. "Ah, yes. He's having drinks with Miss Pendragon."

He froze, thunderstruck.

_Drinks with Morgana_.

But...fuck, _Merlin _was currently having drinks with Morgana. What the fuck was his sister playing at?

"Sir?" Ni looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Mr Pendragon?"

His heart was pounding in his chest but he worked to keep calm, clearing his throat. "Right. Thanks."

She opened her mouth but he was already in the elevator before he she could make a sound. He cursed the speed of the elevator as he waited, tapping the files nervously against his thigh. He felt sick. What the shitting _fuck_ was going on?

He stopped off in his office to grab his phone. He switched it on as he practically jogged out of the building, pulse thundering. His screen lit up.

Five missed calls from Morgana.

One missed call from Uther.

_Fuck_.

He called Morgana back and slid the phone into its holder in the car, clicking the speaker button as he started the engine. She answered almost immediately.

"Arthur," her voice was uncharacteristically contrite. "I may have done something stupid."

"You don't say," he seethed. "Care to explain why Uther is apparently having drinks with you at the same time Merlin's supposed to be on an evening out in your delightful company?"

"Okay, don't use that tone with me," she grumbled. "I'm still angry at what a massive dick you were the other night. Merlin may have forgiven you but I haven't, you still haven't apologised to me and you were a complete tosser."

"_Morgana_."

"Fine," she sighed. "I thought that if they met, it might help persuade Uther not to be so harsh on you."

"And why the _fuck_ would you think that?"

"Because Merlin can hold his own. Because there's something about him that is remarkable, that means that I can't _help _but like him. I thought maybe Uther might be the same."

"Right," he said coldly. "So to clarify, you thought that our father, _Uther Pendragon_, homophobic asshole, would like Merlin if he met him?"

"...yes."

"You're right. You did something stupid. _Incredibly_ and _unbelievably_ stupid."

"Okay, I get it!" she snapped. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't plan on them meeting," he muttered. "And if they ever did, I'd be there as damage control."

"_I _was there as damage control."

He snorted. "Did it work?"

"...no."

He swore loudly. "Did Merlin know? Did Uther?"

"No, neither of them did until Uther showed up."

"What happened?" he demanded.

"They spoke too quietly for me to eavesdrop," she admitted. "From what I saw, Uther said something to Merlin, he argued – which surprised Uther – and then said something which completely knocked Uther for one. Then Uther said something back and Merlin looked shaken, like, _really _shaken. And then he walked out."

"That's incredibly informative."

"Yeah, alright," she replied defensively. "I didn't think the plan through, I admit that much. But stop bitching to me. I'm trying to limit the damage done so just work with me on this, okay?"

He swore again but she had a point. "What did Uther do after Merlin left?"

"He also walked out."

"Did you follow either of them?"

"Nope. I'm still in the coffee shop."

"Right," he rubbed a hand over his face, reigning in his anger at Morgana. "You find Uther. Try and find out what went on and do as much damage control as you can. Don't let him do anything rash."

"You know he won't listen to me, but fine," she agreed amiably. "Are you finding Merlin?"

"Yes."

"Alright," she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Arthur."

"Damn straight," he grumbled. "Just...go talk to father."

She sighed but hung up.

Arthur scrolled through his recent contacts until he found Gwaine's number and rang it.

"What's up, princess?" the Irish bouncer's voice filled the car. "I'm on duty so make it quick."

"Do you know where Merlin is?"

"Sure," he sounded puzzled. "He's on shift at the bar. Why?"

He hung up without answering. Merlin was at work – which was a good sign – and Gwaine didn't sound concerned – which was also a good sign. He felt some of the tension drain away. Maybe the damage control wouldn't be as extensive as he initially thought...at least not on Merlin's part.

He didn't want to be in Morgana's shoes right now, dealing with Uther.

* * *

**a/n: Morgana, you fool.**

**I got some really cute comments about my date, so thank you for those; the date was lovely and he treated me wonderfully ^_^**

**Some good news: I now have offers from all five of the universities I applied to, have confirmed my firm and insurance and have almost gotten my student finance application out of the way, which is a great weight off my shoulders. I can now focus on revision for my A2's. **

**Thanks for the reviews and the comments on tumblr, they're very much appreciated :)**


	26. Chapter 26

Gwaine and an unfamiliar woman were on bouncer duty when Arthur arrived at Aredian's. Gwaine was leaning in close to the redhead in trim jeans and a vest top and she was smiling at his flirting but clearly was just humouring him. She mocked batting her eyelashes at him but straightened and shifted away when she registered Arthur's approach.

Loud, live music spilled from the bar along with the noise of raucous crowds and Arthur knew it was a busy night for the bar. He didn't envy Merlin at all, having to serve so many customers.

"Pendragon," Gwaine's cheeky expression changed to a serious one. "Is there a problem?"

Arthur felt a little bad for hanging up on Merlin's friend. He'd had time to relax more in the car on the journey over and he realised that he'd probably caused Gwaine to worry. He offered a small smile.

"I think its fine," he assured the bouncer.

Gwaine relaxed, nodding once. Arthur moved to walk past them into the bar, but the redhead held out a hand, stopping him.

"Cover charge," she held out her hand expectantly.

"Relax, Alice," Gwaine grinned, waving Arthur on through. "He's good."

Alice raised an eyebrow but dropping her hand, shifting out of the way. Arthur studied Gwaine for a moment but decided not to question it. When he didn't immediately move, Gwaine smacked him playfully on the arse, encouraging him to go into the bar.

"In you go, you posh twat."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle as he entered the bar. He took Gwaine's flirting as a sign of acceptance...maybe even friendship. He paused to the side of the door, looking towards the bar. He'd guessed correctly; the bar was overcrowded. A live band was playing, a vaguely folk like rock tune that he liked, and the place was pretty dark and full of smoke. It was hard to see anyway, even without the crowds of people that occupied the booths, the area by the small stage and the bar.

He approached the bar, squeezing between a crowd of groupies who couldn't have been older than eighteen and a regular cradling a pint between his palms. There were three people on shift behind the bar and Merlin was at the far end. Arthur studied him for a moment but the dark haired man didn't look troubled. His focus was on his hands as he pulled a pint with practised ease but his expression was smooth and vaguely bored as he worked.

The female bartender turned and offered him a bright smile. Her eyebrow was pierced and she wore lipstick the same shade of crimson as the myriad of tattoos running from her neck to the wrist of her left arm. Her black band top exposed a neon green bra and he recognised the band logo as the same one on the various shirts, wristbands and bags of the groupies next to him; _Violet Hyphen_.

"What can I get ya?" she asked, offering him a flirty wink.

Arthur rummaged in his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a folded tenner. He offered it to the bartender who didn't hesitate to accept it without waiting for his request.

"Get Merlin to serve me."

Her eyes widened slightly but she didn't question it. "He just went on his break. Wait ten minutes."

He nodded and held out another note, this time five pounds accompanied by an actual order, "Rum and Coke, thanks."

She nodded and fixed his drink with ease, sliding the glass across the polished bar into his waiting hand before darting off to serve the latest flurry of customers demanding drinks. Arthur took a taste of his drink and turned to lean his back against the bar, gazing at the crowds of people. He was well aware that he looked out of place in his expensive suit, surrounded by younger people dressed in tight jeans, skirts and band shirts. He caught the smirks a couple of the groupies sent his way and pretty sure he caught one of them calling him a 'stiff'. He rolled his eyes, turning his back to the crowds and gazing down into his drink, concentrating on the music. The band were now playing a cover of a song he actually recognised; _Finnegan's Wake_. It was a song he'd often listened to as a kind when Morgana had given him Ygraine's CD. Like his mother, he had a fondness for Celtic and folk music.

"You look old before your time," a voice said in his ear.

He smiled as Merlin pressed against him from behind and pressed a brief kiss to his neck before taking a step back. Arthur turned, facing him and felt his smile widened when he saw the relaxed grin on his partner's face.

"Still have a few minutes left of my break," Merlin shouted over the music before tilting his head towards the exit. "Shall we go somewhere quieter?"

Arthur nodded but instead of leaving through the main entrance, Merlin sneaked him quickly out into the staff area and out through that exit, into a small, enclosed area full of bins and rubbish. It was raining slightly. Merlin propped the door open with an empty crate and grabbed his hand, pulling him quickly across the small area to the overhang on the opposite wall; someone had set up some crates underneath it to form a sort of seating area. They ducked underneath the shelter and sat down on the crates.

It had been hot in the bar – overwhelmingly so – due to the heat from the packed in bodies but it was cold out here and Merlin shivered in his short sleeved shirt. Arthur pulled off his suit jacket and handed it to him.

"_Violet Hyphen_, huh?" Arthur spoke after a moment. "I'm surprised you managed to book them. They're pretty popular for a small time band."

Merlin looked at him, blue eyes twinkling. "You have no idea who they are, do you?"

"Nope," he admitted with a laugh. "But I like them."

That was the truth. Their music was an interesting blend of rock and Celtic that was similar to the style of _The Cranberries_ but still somewhat unique. He actually genuinely liked it. Merlin smiled at that, looking down.

"I've seen them live once or twice. They're gaining popularity fast and I bet they'll get signed soon...so it was a miracle that Kai managed to book them before they became too famous for us to afford." He nodded. "They're one of my favourite bands. I can get you a CD if you want."

"Thanks."

Merlin reached into the pocket of his tight jeans, retrieving a pack of cigarettes. He slipped one between his lips and lit it, breathing in deeply. Arthur tried not to frown; what happened to quitting?

"How would you react if I started smoking?" Arthur blurted and immediately realised what a stupid argument it was to make when Merlin's eyes alighted on him, one eyebrow quirking up obnoxiously.

"I'd be fine with it because your choices are your own and who am I to judge you for them?" he answered caustically.

It was then that Arthur saw the lingering stress concealed by Merlin's usual cheerful persona and he sighed, shifting slightly so they were pressed together, side by side.

"So Morgana called me," he said after a moment. "She told me about what happened. I'm sorry."

"Why? I had to meet him eventually." Merlin shrugged before looking at him, a small smile playing on his lips. "By the way, your father's an asshole."

He laughed, relief sweeping through him now he knew that Merlin wasn't truly bothered by whatever had occurred with Uther. Whatever damage had been done could be fixed, at least for Merlin...and right now, it was Merlin that Arthur was worried about, not his father.

"Really?" he asked dryly. "I hadn't noticed."

Merlin grinned, bumping his shoulder against his before tilting his head back, closing his eyes. Arthur gazed at the smooth, pale column of his throat as he blew out a stream of smoke. He wasn't wearing his scarf but when Arthur looked, he saw that Merlin had covered the scar with a plaster.

"What happened?" he murmured after a moment. "Morgana wasn't particularly informative."

Merlin sighed, lifting one bony shoulder before dropping it again in a lazy shrug. "Your dad wasn't particularly pleased to see me. He was doing that thing, you know? I've seen it on TV before and a lot of people here try it...because they're rich and I'm a bartender, they think they're better than me. They put on this cool, imposing persona and lay on the charm in order to belittle you. He was trying to pull that bullshit. Probably used to it working, too."

Arthur couldn't help the short bark of laughter that escaped him. Of course Merlin had seen straight through Uther and his bullshit straight away. He couldn't really say he was surprised.

"He told me stay away from you. Offered me money to start with and when I -."

"_Wait_," Arthur interjected, holding up a hand sharply. "He offered you money to leave me?"

"Yeah."

He wasn't sure why he was surprised. It had been a while since his father's actions shocked him. He was used to his father being manipulative and threatening. But this was new. Trying to buy Merlin off? That was low and it cut into Arthur like a blade. He swallowed, looking down, and after a moment he felt Merlin's hand on his shoulder, a chaste but comforting touch. He leaned into it, smiling gently at his partner.

"I refused, of course. He then threatened me, which I was kind of expecting. So I told him that he could try but he'd be very disappointed." Merlin laughed slightly. "That went down well, as you can imagine. I then asked if controlling you made him feel important...and, yeah, he didn't like that."

"What did he say?" Arthur asked hoarsely. Christ, Merlin hadn't pulled any punches when talking to Uther. Any hope that Uther might actually come to accept his partner was dashed. Uther would be gunning for him even more now...but he knew Merlin could handle it.

"He knows about Freya," Merlin closed his eyes briefly. "Told me he knew about my past and that he'd be damned if he let his son settle down with a freak like me. That's when I left. I figured punching your dad wouldn't go down well."

"Not really, no," Arthur said quietly, feeling sick. "Fuck, Merlin, I'm so sorry."

"Don't," Merlin looked at him sharply, shaking his head. "You're not responsible for your father, okay? So don't feel guilty."

"But..."

Merlin cut him off with a bruising kiss. He tasted like smoke, mint and the sharpness of alcohol. The smoke would normally put Arthur off – he wasn't keen on smoking – but he found he liked the edge when it came to kissing Merlin and he opened his lips, letting their tongues touch briefly.

Still...health trumped taste.

"Quit," he murmured against Merlin's lips. "For me?"

"What makes you think you're important enough to give up cigarettes for?" he teased.

He raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think you're important enough to share my flat?"

"Touché," Merlin grinned.

"Are you sure you're ready to move in with me?" Arthur asked suddenly and, damn, he was surprised at the powerful wave of uncertainty that hit. Merlin wasn't that much younger than him but he was in a different crowd and Arthur knew he seemed out of place beside Merlin.

"I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't," Merlin rolled his eyes, kissing him again before getting to his feet. "My break finished five minutes ago and Cassie is going to come find me if I don't head back in. You'll stick around, right?"

He had work to do and he was exhausted, but...

"Sure."

Merlin handed him his jacket back. They returned inside and Merlin managed to sneak Arthur back into the bar without his colleagues noticing. Arthur moved to the bar, finding space between a young couple and the same bunch of groupies, and found Merlin waiting with a tumbler of whisky for him. He reached into his pocket for his wallet but Merlin held up his hand.

"Drinks on me," he called over the loud music.

Arthur nodded and accepted the whisky. It was the good stuff, too, and he smiled appreciatively at Merlin.

The dark haired man poured a small shot of whisky and slammed it back, grimacing briefly. He grinned at Arthur's surprised look.

"Makes the long shift less boring," he explained.

"Should you be drinking on the job?" Arthur smiled.

"I won't tell if you won't," Merlin offered a conspiratorial wink before he disappeared to serve other customers, offering quick, apologetic smile as he went. Arthur stuck around for a few minutes before wondering off to find something to do while he waited.

He caught sight of Gwaine stood in the crowd surrounding the small stage and approached until he stood beside the bouncer. He wondered if there was trouble but realised after a moment that Gwaine wasn't on bouncer duty anymore.

"Good, aren't they?" Arthur asked, raising his glass towards the band on stage.

Gwaine snorted. "They're shite, mate." He nodded towards one of the booths that had just been vacated.

They quickly took the booth before anyone could beat them to it, sitting opposite one another. Gwaine finished his pint in one go but Arthur cradles his tumbler between his palms, not planning on really drinking tonight.

"I hear our Merlin will be living with you soon," Gwaine raised his eyebrows. "Congrats."

"I take it you don't mind, then?"

"Why should I? For a posh twat, you're not that bad and you and Merls are good together." Gwaine shrugged. "'Sides, Merlin can take care of himself and he does whatever the fuck he wants."

"True," Arthur grinned.

"I'll tell you something," Gwaine smirked. "This is the first time in my life I can even see myself being buddies with someone like you."

"Someone like me? Should I be insulted?" he mused. "But thanks."

"Don't get your hopes up, Pendragon. You're cute, but not that cute." There was a flirty twinkle in his eyes.

Arthur threw his hands up in mock exasperation. "What even _are _you?"

"Ssh," Gwaine winked. "I like to be ambiguous when it comes to my sexuality. It helps me get laid."

"Basically, if he's horny enough and you're attractive enough, expect to be hit on, regardless of gender." A new voice added. "He's classy like that."

Arthur looked up at the tall, ridiculously well built bloke that had joined them as he slid into the booth next to Gwaine. He recognised him as another bouncer and one of Merlin's friends that he'd been introduced to.

"Hey," he held out a hand. "I'm Percival. We've met once before."

"Yeah, I remember," Arthur nodded, shaking his head.

"Hey, Percy," Gwaine simpered at the other man, ignoring his friend's eye roll. "Our Merlin is moving in with Arthur."

"Really?" Percival looked at Arthur, smiling in bemusement. "Well, congratulations. I guess this calls for a round of drinks."

Gwaine cheered at the suggestion and pushed Percival out of the booth. The larger man held up his middle finger in response but went to the bar to supply the drinks.

One round turned into two...which turned into three...which turned into four...and Arthur was sufficiently buzzed and had no idea how much time had passed but knew it had been spent with new friends and...oh, things were beginning to wind down in the bar. The band had left and with it half of the customers.

"I'm going to go talk to Merlin," he told Gwaine and Percy.

He only felt slightly tipsy but Gwaine was well past drunk and Percival was handling him with a tolerating smile, shaking his head. He got to his feet and made his way over to the bar, grinning at Merlin when he noticed him approaching.

"Hey," he greeted, leaning in for a kiss.

"I see you've been having fun," Merlin raised an eyebrow, nodding towards Percy and Gwaine.

"Your friends are actually pretty nice."

"What do you mean _actually_?" Merlin faked a miffed tone.

Arthur simply grinned in response. "When does your shift finish?"

"Half an hour," Merlin tilted his head. "Can I get a lift home?"

"You can get a lift back to mine so I can fuck you until you shout my name."

Merlin's mouth dropped open, his hand frozen in its reach for a glass and he stared at him for a few seconds, stunned. After a moment he coughed dryly, blinking once.

"Wow, er..." he chuckled. "I really like tipsy Arthur."

Arthur felt heat crawl up his neck at his forwardness but he mirrored Merlin's lopsided smile, shrugging slightly.

"Merls!"

They glanced to the right to see Gwen approach, a girl with wild auburn curls at her side. They both wore vest tops emblazoned with the _Violet Hyphen _logo and tight jeans.

"Weren't they amazing?" Gwen gushed, her cheeks red with excitement and drunkenness. "I must get their album."

Merlin smiled smugly. "I did tell you."

The auburn haired girl raised a scornful eyebrow at Arthur. "Hey, Merlin, who's the stiff?"

"That stiff is my gorgeous partner," Merlin replied before slyly adding, "Who I happen to be moving in with."

Gwen's hands flew to her mouth. "Holy shit, really? Aw, congratulations!"

She clumsily leaned across the bar to hug Merlin tightly before abruptly pulling away and turning to Arthur and enveloping him in a warm hug. He blinked, caught off guard, but smiled when Merlin's grin widened.

"Huh," the other girl said. "Congratulations." She looked at Arthur. "I'm Lou."

"Gwaine's girlfriend," Gwen explained.

"Really?" he blurted.

"Yes," Lou's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Nothing," he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry."

She stared at him for a moment longer before shrugging dismissively and turning back to Gwen. They started to squeal over the band and Arthur tuned them out, turning to Merlin.

It might have been because of the alcohol, but the way Gwaine and Percival interacted, almost like an old married couple, had hinted at something more than just friendship.

Merlin smiled softly. "You noticed it too, huh?"

He nodded.

"Maybe one day I'll knock their heads together," Merlin sighed. "It's about the only way they'll realise their feelings."

Arthur lingered by the bar until Merlin's shift finished and they left the bar together. He happily handed over his keys to Merlin could drive, aware that though he wasn't really _drunk_, he'd still had enough drink that driving wasn't an option.

Inside his flat, Arthur immediately kicked the door shut and kissed Merlin fiercely, grabbing for his leather jacket to yank it off. Merlin chuckled a little breathlessly, pulling away to lead Arthur to the bedroom. They stripped quickly and Arthur reached eagerly for Merlin, pulling him down onto the bed.

Merlin smiled and kissed him back for a few minutes, slow and exploring, and pressed their bodies together, locking their ankles. His hands wandered over Merlin's skinny body, trailing his ribs and tracing the hollow of his hips. Merlin embraced him tightly, burying his head against his neck.

Arthur was hard and he tried to rub against Merlin's hip but there wasn't much move to achieve friction and he huffed. He could feel Merlin's matching erection against his stomach but Merlin didn't take things further than just cuddling.

Once the initial heat of the situation faded, Arthur felt himself relax, sleepiness taking over sexual frustration. Despite their erections, they didn't need sex...this intimacy was enough.

He sighed softly, trailing his fingers down Merlin's spine to settle on the curve of his ass and pressed a kiss to the dark hair tickling his chin.

Yes, this was enough.

* * *

**a/n: I'm sorry for the delay in updating.**

**I've been feeling pretty low recently and haven't really been up to writing. First of all, some stuff went down. It resolved itself and everything is alright now, but just as I started to feel up to get some writing done again, I got a pretty nasty anon ask on tumblr.**

**It must have been someone I know in real life because they were being pretty cruel about me being bisexual, but they were on anon so I don't know who it was. I didn't answer and I didn't publish the ask because what they were saying was rather humiliating, but it made me feel really low for a while. I'm sort of over it now, hence finally getting this chapter done, and I'm sorry for the delay with this chapter.**

**Trivia: I absolutely love Celtic and folk music. My dad used to be in an Irish folk band, playing in pubs around Yorkshire, so I was brought up with it. I'm currently learning to play some traditional Celtic songs myself and I remember hearing a live band playing at a local pub, a blend of rock and Celtic which was something I hadn't heard before but absolutely adored. I wish I could remember the name of the band so I can look them up, they really were amazing. **

**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them and it was reading them that helped me out of the funk thanks to the shitty homophobe on tumblr. Thank you all!**


	27. Chapter 27

He woke up in a tangle of naked limbs and too much heat.

He was content to be still and just breathe for a moment, still clinging to lingering sleepiness. He listened to the quiet pattering of rain against the window and the gentle breathing of the man entangled with him.

After a few peaceful minutes, he glanced at the clock; almost six in the morning. He could sleep for a little while longer.

Merlin shifted closer to him, leg thrown over his hips, one arm heavy on his stomach, and sighed, lips pressed against Arthur's collarbone. His dark hair tickled but Arthur held still, not wanting to disrupt his partner.

"Mmf," Merlin mumbled against his neck. "I have work in a couple of hours."

He smiled and shifted slightly, pulling Merlin closer. He slid his fingertips gently down Merlin's spine repeatedly and his partner hummed in appreciation, settling again. Arthur smiled and tucked his head against Merlin's, closing his eyes.

When he woke again, it was to hear loud cursing. He was now on his front, pillow mashed against his face and – oh nice, _attractive_ – drool on his chin. He quickly swiped it away and rolled onto his back, sliding his hand over the space next to him. It was empty but the sheets were still warm.

"Fuckety fuck fuck..."

Oh right, the cursing.

He opened his eyes, narrowing them against the light. Merlin was on the other side of the bed, quickly tugging up his jeans. Arthur smiled at how cute he looked with morning stubble before it finally occurred to him that, firstly, Merlin looked troubled and, secondly, Merlin was swearing like a sailor.

"What is it?" he mumbled, stretching sleepily.

"I'm late for work," Merlin muttered, grabbing his shirt from the floor. "I slept in late."

"Really?" More alert, Arthur sat up and looked at the other man. "What happened to your internal clock?"

Merlin gave him a sour look and sat on the bed to pull on his shoes. "Why didn't you make me get up earlier?"

"You rarely get any decent sleep," Arthur shrugged. "I wanted to let you sleep in for once."

Merlin's expression softened as he smiled. "Oh...thanks." He got to his feet and circled the bed. "I'll see you later."

His hand snaked free from the duvet as he grabbed Merlin's wrist, stroking his thumb over his pulse point. "Or you could stay."

"Tempting," Merlin grinned as he leaned down, kissing him softly. "But my boss is going to yell at me enough as it is. I really don't want to get given an extra shift, since, you know, I need to get some packing done."

Arthur couldn't help his answering smile. "You're definitely sure you want to move in, then?"

He rolled his eyes. "As long as you want me then, yes, I'm sure."

With one last kiss, he left. Arthur dropped his head back down on the pillow, arms folded over his stomach, and grinned, a warm feeling spreading in his chest.

**0**

Arthur was tempted to simply call Morgana and see how things had gone with Uther, but he knew he had to see his father himself. He couldn't keep running away from this problem, not when it involved Merlin. Either Uther listened and they came to some kind of agreement...or he had to do what Morgana had been courageous enough to achieve and walk away.

There was a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach as he rang the doorbell. He knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation but he also knew it was now or never. Hopefully Morgana had helped to mellow Uther out. He'd put on an expensive suit for this meeting. He knew it wouldn't do much to impress Uther but it felt like battle armour.

The door swung open – and Arthur stared.

Blue eyes gazed back for a long moment before he was wrapped in a tight hug. He blinked, caught off guard, but hugged Kara back, surprised but pleased to see her after so many years. She pulled back and rested her hands on his shoulders as she leaned away, looking him from head to toe.

"Well, you've certainly grown up," she smiled. "Cute suit."

He huffed slightly, reaching out to tug on a strand of her hair. It used to be shoulder length and styled in tight curls, but she'd had it cut to chin length and it was straightened. She'd also dyed it from medium brown to a reddish chestnut colour that suited her. She looked good; she'd lost weight in the years they hadn't been in contact, the nose stud was gone and her old style of ratty jeans and hoodies were replaced with neat slacks, cashmere jumper and ankle boots. There was an engagement ring on her finger.

"Cute hair," he shot back with a smile. "It's nice to see you, Kara."

"You too, Artie," she stepped aside so he could enter the house and closed the door. "Come on. I left Mordred making popcorn in the kitchen."

_Mordred_? He raised an eyebrow but followed her through the house to the kitchen. He couldn't help but smile as they entered the large room. It wasn't a cosy or _homey_ kitchen; his mother'd had little influence. Uther had reasoned that neither of them would do much cooking in the kitchen so making it personal was pointless. Instead, he'd contracted a decorating firm to design the kitchen. It was large, spacious, and akin to a restaurant kitchen; all pale surfaces, gleaming appliances and an almost clinical atmosphere. The only personal touch was one counter in the far corner beneath the window where his mother used to bake. It had a rack of spices labelled in his mother's careful, slanted handwriting, the scales she always used even though they were rarely accurate, her favourite _Yorkshire Tea_ apron, a teapot shaped like a cupcake.

It was a testament to the fact that Uther must have loved her that he hadn't gotten rid of her cooking things when she passed away.

Arthur had never known her, but one of his favourite pictures of her (one he'd reluctantly allowed Morgana to keep after she threatened to burn if he tried to take it back) was when she was six months pregnant with him, her pastel blue maternity jumper stretched tight over her bump. Her _Yorkshire Tea _apron was untied since the ties didn't reach around her anymore and she'd tucked them into her baggy jeans to keep them out of the way. She was barefoot, her toenails painted garish pink, her blonde hair pulled back in a scruffy ponytail, and she was absolutely _covered _in flour thanks to her broken whisk but the sun lit her up as she absolutely _beamed_ at the camera.

There were many photos of his mother, mostly posed ones at events where she looked magnificent in expensive gowns with professionally styled hair and make up. She looked like the perfect trophy wife on Uther's arm. But it was the pictures like this, the ones taken unexpectedly at home that let Arthur know how beautiful his mother was. Even messy and heavily pregnant, there was enough warmth and happiness in her smile to make anyone feel immediately happier. And it was obvious from the photos that she adored Uther as much as he clearly loved her. It made Arthur wonder if there was a time when his father had been different, worthy of the love of someone like Ygraine, when he was truly _happy_. Because when he thought about it, it had been a long time since he'd seen Uther look genuinely _happy_. Content, yes, but not beaming with joy. Maybe there was a time when things were different, when _he'd _been different, because of Ygraine.

Morgana might know. She had been incredibly young when their mother passed away but she might have picked up on something, something that would shed light on the matter. But they never talked about their mother or Uther's past. It was an unspoken agreement between them that had been upheld through Arthur's twenty five years of life and he didn't think there was much point in dragging up the past now.

Mordred was stood at one of the counters trying to work the popcorn machine, looking frazzled as it began to spit kernels all around the room instead of in the bowl underneath.

Kara leaned in, smiling as she murmured, "Bless him. He's adorable."

Arthur took in the sight of the young man wearing tight burgundy trousers, white shirt, Converse, navy cardigan and – _oh Christ, really? _– a red bow tie, his curly hair a mess on top of his head as he dodged the spray of popcorn.

"He's an idiot," he replied flatly.

Kara swatted his arm for the remark and took pity on Mordred, turning off the popcorn machine. Mordred offered her a shy smile in gratitude before looking at the mess of buttery popcorn on the floor in dismay.

"Well," Arthur commented, leaning one hip against the counter. "Thanks for making a mess of my kitchen."

Mordred flushed, looking down. Kara rested a hand on his shoulder, comforting the dark haired man.

"He's only joking, Mordred," she lied, smiling in reassurance. "He doesn't live here; I hear he has his own swanky flat now. Besides, Gwyneth will take care of the mess if he asks."

"Gwynie doesn't work here anymore," he informed her, folding his arms. "Uther fired her a year or so ago for flirting with Morgan. There's a new bloke now – his name's George, I think."

"Huh," she raised her eyebrows at that but as soon as Mordred wasn't looking she stepped closer, raising a finger to him in warning. "Don't be mean, Artie."

He couldn't help but grin. It had been years since they'd last seen one another but she was already lecturing him and bossing him about. Not much had changed, then. Her own face broke into a warm smile in response but she quickly schooled her features, offering him one last, stern look before turning to fix the popcorn machine.

One of Arthur's favourite childhood memories was the times when he and Morgana were just kids. In the summer they didn't have much to do and it was near impossible to drag Uther away from his company and work to take them to places or even stay in and play a game with them. They ended up playing pranks to entertain themselves, one upping one another until things got out of hand and they were sent to bed early by a furious Uther, but the next day they continued their tricks. The nights when they were sent to bed early with their bedroom doors locked, Morgana would always wait until Uther was firmly shut away in his office to work for the evening before sneaking out of her window, onto the roof of the pool house. It ran the distance between their two bedroom windows and she'd knock on his window to let him know she was there. She'd help him down onto the roof and then down onto the patio.

Uther hired a cook to make their meals since he didn't have the time or the skills. The cook's name was Zeke, a skinny man who was almost like a nanny to them sometimes. He'd let them sneak into the kitchen and pretend not to notice when they snuck into the pantry to nibble on the treats there. There would always be a cake or pie or bowl of jelly waiting for them. On the rare nights Uther came in to ask for supper in his office, Zeke would hide them in the small space under the counter between two cupboards. It became _their _space; whenever Uther was angry or there were strange people in the house or that awful time when they came _this _close to having a stepmother, they hid in that small space and played games together.

Arthur hadn't really told Morgana how much he cherished those times, how he was grateful for her looking out for him, for spending time with her kid brother even though it wasn't _cool_, for helping him sneak out of his bedroom. For letting him have the bigger slice of cake when they crept into the pantry behind Zeke's deliberately turned back.

That was before secondary school started and things fell apart. Morgana had less time for him and he hid in that space alone, playing games without a partner in crime and eating cake without someone to share it with. And then Uther and Morgana started rowing, Morgana started drinking, and Arthur started to see his father as a hero.

They'd always had a rocky relationship. As kids, despite sticking together, they argued constantly, picking fights, shoving one another, trying to get each other in trouble. There was the time when Morgana ignored both Uther and him when she started secondary school. When she started drinking, she sometimes sought out Arthur, but that didn't last long. After the night of Uther's party, she hated him. There had been a long period of time when they didn't speak, didn't acknowledge that they were siblings. It had ended, of course, but he'd be a fool to think their sibling relationship was fixed. They were friends, they were there for one another...but it was always _there, _their past, Uther, the secret that Morgana still kept hidden.

"Why are you guys here?" he blurted.

Kara glanced up, taking in his expression. He tried to control it, not wanting to let her know the sad turn his thoughts had taken. She pursed her lips for a moment.

"I thought you knew?" she said softly. "That's why you're here."

He shook his head slightly. "I'm here to talk to Uther."

She sighed, turning off the popcorn machine. "Morgana...I'm not sure what happened but it involves Uther. She called me this morning and she sounded...not great. I know I said I wanted a clean break and everything but I was worried she'd do something stupid so...here I am."

Mordred peered at him for a moment. "She called me too."

Something had upset Morgana and she'd contacted her ex girlfriend and bloody _assistant_ before asking for him? That hurt.

"Come on," Kara rested a hand on his arm, her other hand reaching for the bowl of popcorn. "We're going to watch _Love Actually_. Join us."

He wrinkled his nose. "You know that just because I'm gay doesn't mean I actually like shit like that, right?"

"Don't be so grumpy, dear," she teased. "It'll give you wrinkles. Besides, Mordred likes _Love Actually_, don't you?"

He nodded, smiling slightly. "It's one of my favourites."

"Kiss ass," Arthur grumbled under his breath, earning a sharp look from Kara. He sighed. "Alright, fine, but only for Morgan. I'll be up in a minute; there's something I have to do first."

She nodded and left the kitchen. Arthur watched her go before raising an eyebrow at Mordred, wondering why he hadn't gone with Kara. He offered a shy smile in response and Arthur sighed, making his way to the other side of the kitchen where his mother's space was.

"I heard about what happened with Merls and Mr Pendragon," Mordred said after a moment. "Is he alright? I was going to pop round but Morgana asked for me. I did give him a call, though."

Arthur paused, gaping at the younger man. Did he...just call Merlin '_Merls_'? The familiarity and affection in his tone was unmistakable and...when did he get Merlin's number? When the hell did they become friends?

"How...?" he started to ask but then decided against it, shaking his head. "Never mind. Merlin is fine."

Mordred's sweet smile was positively _sickening_ and he turned his back before he could resort to a rude remark. He wasn't certain why the guy got on his nerves so much. He seemed like a nice person – a little shy, sure, but sweet – but for some reason he did nothing but irritate Arthur.

He ignored Mordred as he prepared some tea in Ygraine's teapot, the one shaped like a cupcake. He knew Morgana would appreciate the gesture. He hunted around in the pantry, eventually finding a packet of Jammie Dodgers – the ones they ate when they were kids and hiding in the kitchen – and returned to the kitchen.

Morgana and Kara were in the living room, sat side by side on the sofa. Arthur expected the atmosphere to be awkward – after all, they were ex partners and their break up hadn't been pretty – but was surprised to find them laughing together. Morgana glanced up at him as the two men entered, noticing the tray in his hands with the teapot and biscuits. A small smile flickered to life on her face.

He set the tray on the table in front of the sofa and sat on her other side, forcing Mordred to sit on the armchair to their right. Morgana reached out, squeezing his wrist gently.

"Thank you," she whispered, nodding towards the cupcake teapot.

Kara looked confused and he couldn't stop the sadness that filled him when he realised Morgana hadn't told Kara much about their childhood. They'd been living together, Morgana had been ready for _marriage_, but she still hadn't divulged much information about her past.

He didn't need to think about it to know that he wanted Merlin to know everything about him, even the bad parts. He'd told Merlin quite a lot about his past and he would tell him more.

He wanted Morgana to have someone like that in her life, someone who she could tell about their childhood, knowing that they would still love her and be there for her. He wanted Morgana to be loved and _happy_.

"Why didn't you call me?" he asked softly.

She shrugged, looking away. "I didn't want to bother you. Merlin needed you."

"Maybe," he agreed. "But if you need me you can call me, alright?"

She smiled. "Thanks, Artie."

He noticed that the red nail polish on her fingernails was ragged from where she'd been biting her nails anxiously, a sign that she'd been struggling not to resort to alcohol. But he couldn't smell any liquor on her. Rather than drinking, she'd called friends to help and comfort her and that...that showed incredible strength.

He surprised her with a warm, proud hug but she returned it with a small laugh.

They watched the movie in silence but Morgana slept through the last quarter of an hour. Arthur smiled at the sight of his sleeping sister and gently eased off the sofa, stretching. Kara shared a grin with him but as she moved to stand, Morgana snuggled closer, sighing softly.

Kara closed her eyes briefly, looking pained. She wriggled free and got to her feet, not looking at any of the others as she left the room. Arthur left Mordred to turn off the DVD player and TV, quickly following Kara. He caught up with her at the stairs and they descended them side by side in silence.

She turned to face him at the bottom.

"It was nice to see you again, Arthur," she smiled. "I hear you've got a partner now and he's moving in with you."

He nodded. "His name is Merlin."

"It's good to see you in love and happy. Morgana...she's very proud of you, you know? And happy for you." She paused, looking down as she fiddled with her engagement ring. "I shouldn't have come today."

"She needed your help."

"_Exactly_," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm happy, Arthur. I've been with Amber for almost two years and we're engaged. I'm getting married in three months time. When I broke up with Morgana, I ensued it was a clean break for a reason. And now she calls me up, needing help..."

"Then you shouldn't have come," he pointed out gently.

"I know," she admitted. "I just...I didn't want her to be alone. But Arthur, she was struggling not to _drink_."

There was judgement in that statement and an accusation and Arthur felt the need to defend his sister.

"Exactly," he stressed. "She struggled and she overcome it. She's strong, Kara, and she's _better_. She cleaned herself up, has her own business, she's doing fantastic. It is expected that she'll still struggle but she's _resisting_."

"I know, I know," she held her hands up, bowing her head. "But this...I don't want to give her the wrong idea."

He didn't want to get into an argument over this. It was nice to see Kara after so long and it was good to see her settled and happy. He didn't want it to be ruined thanks to an argument over Morgana and her intentions.

"It was good to see you, Kara."

She smiled. "Yeah, it really was. Stay in touch, okay?"

He nodded and walked her to the door. "Of course." He kissed her on the cheek and she beamed at him as she left.

Once the door was shut, he rubbed a hand over his face.

_What a mess._

"Arthur."

His eyes snapped open to see Uther stood at the top of the stairs, arms folded over his chest. His expression was calm as he gazed down at his son.

"Father," he greeted. "I'd like to speak with you."

Uther nodded once. "I'll be in my office, son."

_Son_. It was rare that his father used the affectionate nickname and he hoped it was a good sign. He waited until Uther had disappeared before pushing away from the door and smoothing down his suit jacket. He reeked of buttery popcorn, he was a little wrinkled from sitting squished on the sofa with Morgana and Kara and he was now exhausted.

But this had to be done.

Taking a deep breath, he made his way to his father's office.

* * *

**a/n: this chapter was originally intended to be focused on Uther and Arthur's conversation, but now that will happen in the next chapter. As I got into writing this, I decided that I wanted to focus on Morgana and Arthur's childhood a little and Uther's past in order to flesh out the characters and their circumstances a little more.**

**I'm sorry for the delay. For those of you following me on tumblr, you're probably aware of the anon hate I got recently. It got rather bad last week but has died down now. It made me feel low for a few days and so I didn't get much done in the way of writing. I'd really like to thank the amazing people on there who stood up for me and helped me through it...you guys are wonderful and I wish I could hug you all.**

**IMPORTANT – I'm going to start a new series of drabbles, filling prompts. I will start it soon and it will be a summer project. It would be awesome if you guys could help out and head on over to tumblr to give me some prompts you'd like filled? Thank you :D**


	28. Chapter 28

His father wasn't sat at his desk like Arthur had expected. Instead, he was stood by the two leather armchairs, now turned to face one another. He'd moved the small table between them and he set a crystal decanter of whisky on it with two matching glasses. He loosened his tie, undid the top button of his shirt and peeled off his suit jacket, placing it – neatly folded – on the edge of his desk.

"Son," he greeted without looking up, gesturing to one of the armchairs.

Arthur eyed Uther cautiously, a little startled by this change in routine and the apparent ease in his father's disposition, but closed the office door behind him and crossed the room to the armchairs.

Uther appraised him, assessing the suit critically, before his gaze settled on Arthur's tie and the corners of his mouth tipped up gently in amusement. That small, almost fond smile always completely altered his father's usually cool, stern appearance, turning him from a business tyrant to a loving father in an instant. His blue eyes softened, the wrinkles appeared to be more to do with age than from stress and it was easy to imagine him as _dad_ rather than _father_.

"Twenty five years old," Uther shook his head, chuckling slightly. "And you still can't do up a tie properly."

He'd always found it easy to knot his tie in a half Windsor and he'd approved over the years, but he could admit he was still sloppy, his fingers too awkward to tie it effectively, and he knew his tie tended to look a little shoddy. Nothing like the tidy, stern double Windsor of his father's (now loose) crimson tie.

He'd first had to wear a tie for prep school when he was just a child, too young to knot it himself. Morgana had tied it for him every morning in the exact same half Windsor he used now, but she'd been sloppy. Uther had paid (a heinous amount) for him to attend a private school and it required a hideous uniform – including a tie. Morgana refused to do it for him and the night before his first day he'd asked Uther to show him how to knot the tie neatly. His father had snapped at him, said he was too busy and to find Morgana and make her do it. So he'd taught himself and had done it shoddily every since, all through attending the private school, then through A Levels at Eton, and had been relieved when he no longer had to wear a uniform for university. No one mocked him for his mess of a tie at work – after all, he was the boss' son.

Uther must have caught the tension on Arthur's face because he took a step forward, hands reaching up to loosen Arthur's tie. With quick, nimble fingers, he tied it with a perfectly executed half Windsor – not even the knot that Uther usually used and had numerous times before tried to persuade Arthur to use.

He offered Arthur a small smile and sunk into one of the armchairs. He slumped slightly, looking positively _languid_ compared to his usual stiff posture, and it was unusual to see his father so relaxed. He sat in the opposite armchair, the leather crackling beneath him as he settled back.

Uther gestured towards the decanter. "Drink?"

He gave a quick nod and Uther leaned forward, pouring each glass half full with amber liquid. He lifted his glass and Arthur copied, waiting until his father had clinked crystal against crystal before lifting the drink to his lips. He held the whisky in his mouth for a moment, savouring the taste – warm, fruity, decadent – before swallowing it, noting the familiar burn. The first time he'd tried whisky he'd hated the sting of it and the potent taste. But he'd grown to develop a taste for it. He took after his father when it came to his taste in liquor. Except Uther preferred fruity undertones as opposed to sweet; he'd never had much of a sweet tooth, always preferring fruit desserts as opposed to cake or ice cream. Arthur took after his mother in his serious sweet tooth.

"How have you been, Arthur?"

"Good," he answered quietly, tapping his thumbnail against the glass. He saw his father's eyes flicker towards his hand for a moment, tightening in irritation at the sound, but he didn't protest. "I've been good, thank you. How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you, son," Uther paused, pursing his lips. "Morgana is upset."

"Yes."

His father opened his mouth as if to comment further, but then seemed to think better of it, asking instead, "Will you return to work soon?"

"If I am welcome," Arthur answered tightly. "Then I would be glad too."

"Of course you're welcome, son," Uther hesitated before sighing. "I...overreacted."

Arthur blinked and then stared at the man sat opposite him. Because there was no way he heard that right. There was no way he actually heard Uther Pendragon admit that he'd overreacted because that was..._absurd_.

But Uther merely gazed back, even having the grace to look a little sheepish, a look he'd _never _seen on his father's face before.

"I..." Arthur started, stunned. "Well, I guess I'll be back on Monday then."

Uther nodded, looking relieved as he finished his whisky. He poured another glass and settled back in his armchair, completely at ease. Arthur tapped his thumbnail faster against the glass, nervous. He was used to being shouted at, the coldness in his father's disposition, arguing. He'd been _prepared_ for this. This...this was completely unexpected and he had no idea what to do, leaving him on edge as he waited for Uther to say something.

"So," Uther smiled but it was cold, forced, and his eyes were sharp as he looked at Arthur. "I hear congratulations are in order."

Arthur tensed, gaze travelling from his father's gaze to the amber liquid in his glass and then to a spot just past Uther, jaw clenching as he worked to keep his voice calm. "Morgana told you?"

"Yes. In her tirade about your..._partner_ being a good person, she let it slip that he has agreed to move in with you."

Arthur paused briefly when he noticed that Uther hadn't used a derogatory word and had, in fact, worked to be respectful by saying 'partner'. He wasn't angry with Morgana; after all, Uther would have found out eventually anyway. Better now than after Merlin was already living with him.

"He has," he nodded.

"And you're happy?"

"Yes," he swallowed, meeting Uther's gaze. "I'm incredibly happy."

Uther fell silent at that, gazing down into his glass. He tapped his foot slowly against the floor, a furrow appearing between his brow. Arthur raised his chin slightly, squared his shoulders, waiting for the inevitable argument that was about to ensue. They'd been through this a thousand times and they would go through it again, they always would. It was a vicious, never ending cycle and he was so _sick _of it, so bone tired of trying, arguing and failing. So sick of the disappointment and hurt and the abuse. But he'd argue anyway because what else was there to do? Because sometimes...sometimes, it felt like arguing was the only thing they had.

"I like him."

Well...that effectively derailed him.

"Who?"

"Your partner," Uther clarified. "I liked him."

"You..." Arthur slid his hand to his wrist, discreetly pinching the skin there and smothering his wince at the sting. Fucking hell, Uther was being serious. "You liked him?"

"He stood up to me," Uther continued calmly, brushing imaginary lint of the knee of his trousers. "He seems like a very sharp young man and he has plenty of spirit. I can appreciate that. He's a good match for you, Arthur."

He couldn't convey just how much it meant to him to hear Uther say that. He stared at his father, a sort of almost _painful _hope swelling in his chest, constricting, making it hard to breathe. He didn't dare let it blossom into more but it was too strong to push it down. He couldn't help the flood because, fucking hell, regardless of what happened next, Uther had just said he _liked _Merlin and thought he was a good match and that could only be a good sign.

"I..." his voice came out strangled with emotion and he cleared his throat hoarsely. "Thank you. That...that really means a lot."

Uther's expression shifted into a gentle, caring smile and Arthur's own lips twitched in response but he held back, still a little uncertain. He'd had years of hearing one thing from Uther...being told the complete opposite was magnificent but be couldn't help the little seed of doubt.

"Does this mean you approve?"

Uther's smile faded, his eyes shuttering again.

"No."

It was like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown over him. He stared at Uther, completely disorientated. The hope and happiness shattered around him leaving him feeling bitterly cold and stale, his chest hollow.

Then his mind caught up and fierce frustration made him tremble a little, his fingers tightening dangerously around the glass in his hand.

"_Why_?"

"You know why," Uther said quietly. "My views have not changed, Arthur."

He wanted to shout, scream, argue, bloody _hit _the man in front of him because _why didn't he understand_? Why couldn't he push aside his own _views_ for his own _son_? It wasn't fucking fair and he felt so furious at being disappointed yet again. Hated himself for allowing the hope, knowing it would be crushed.

But he bit back the bitter tirade threatening to break free. He wasn't going to get in another shouting match with Uther, not today. He was too tired of it all to waste time and breath. So he inhaled deeply, pushing down the frustration, feeling like he was being smothered.

"I see," he muttered. "Well, I should be leaving."

"Arthur..."

"I'll see you soon, father."

Uther's expression pinched and if Arthur wasn't already certain that his father was an unemotional machine, he would have said it was sadness he saw in his eyes.

"You never call me 'dad' anymore."

Arthur looked down into his glass, wishing he had the strength to feel sad at the statement, but he only felt a sort of empty exhaustion that smothered any other feeling.

"There's a reason for that," he said quietly, putting the glass on the table before getting to his feet. "I'll see myself out."

Uther simply nodding, not looking up at him. Arthur didn't let himself glance back at the man who dared call himself a father as he left, quietly closing the door to the office behind him.

He didn't let himself stop or slow down as he hurried downstairs, didn't want to let the situation catch up with him. If he kept moving, maybe he could keep running away from it, away from Uther and the emotional rollercoaster that came with being the unfortunate sod who was his son.

Morgana was stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him. She took one look at his expression and smiled sadly, stepping aside to let him pass.

"It didn't go well then," she reached out squeezing his hand. "I'm sorry, Arthur."

"Not your fault," he replied tiredly. "Listen, I..."

She nodded once in understanding. "Go speak to Merlin."

He kissed her on the cheek and made for the door, but she called out his name, stopping him. He glanced over his shoulder at his sister, impatient to get out of this damned house and away from Uther.

"Kara..." Morgana bit her lip, looking down. "She looked happy, didn't she?"

He swallowed, nodding. "Yeah, Morgie. She looked happy."

He waited for anything further but Morgana waved him off without another glance.

**0**

Merlin didn't answer his calls or the voicemails. Arthur knew he was probably working and didn't have his phone on him but he couldn't help the irritation he felt. It was more to do with Uther than his boyfriend but it was still there and he gritted his teeth, grabbing another bottle from his fridge.

By the time Merlin knocked on his door, he knew he'd bypassed _drunk_. He answered the door sheepishly, looking at the dark haired man and staggering slightly at the sheer bloody _happiness_ he felt at seeing Merlin there for him.

Merlin looked from the bottle in his hand to his face and sighed, closing the door behind him. "What happened, love?"

He smiled. "I like it when you call me that."

"Good," Merlin grinned, toeing off his shoes and taking off his jacket. "Now, what's up?"

He launched into it right away, needing to vent and get it all out and seek comfort from someone else, someone he loved. He ranted and raved, hurling each word out and he was certain at times he wasn't making much sense – the alcohol in his system not helping with his coherency either – but Merlin was patient and calm as he listened.

By the time he was out of words and his anger and hurt had faded, he was sprawled horizontally on the sofa with his hand in Merlin's lap as the other man's lean fingers combed soothingly through his hair. He sighed softly at the comforting touch, closing his eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"What are you apologising for?" Merlin asked softly.

"I'm drunk."

"So?" Merlin sounded amused as he bent to kiss Arthur's forehead. "You're talking to me about what's wrong."

Arthur opened his eyes, looking up at his partner, and now that the initial whirlwind of emotion was over he noticed that there was something a little...off about Merlin tonight. There was a tightness to his eyes and jaw, tension in his shoulders and his expression was calm, gentle...but shuttered. There was something wrong.

"What is it?" he asked.

Merlin looked startled before an odd expression settled over his face. He gazed at Arthur for a moment. "Nothing," he finally answered. "I'm fine."

Arthur snorted. "It's a little hypocritical to want me to talk to you when you won't tell me what's wrong."

Merlin smiled at that and tipped his head back onto the couch. "I'm just tired. I had a long shift, some customers were pretty rude and I'm close to falling asleep."

Arthur stared at him, trying to detect a lie, but the explanation seemed genuine. He turned his head to kiss the strip of exposed skin above the waistband of Merlin's jeans and heard Merlin inhale quickly.

"Thank you," he whispered, kissing again. "Now go sleep."

Merlin peered down at him. "Are you okay?"

"My father is a massive arsehole and I'm feeling pretty shitty," Arthur paused before continuing, "But I'm alright. Come on, let's sleep."

He moved clumsily to his feet and guided Merlin to the bedroom. Merlin had been biting his lips and they were dark and swollen. Arthur was tempted to lean in and capture them, to take things further, but reigned himself in; Merlin was exhausted and needed to sleep, not fuck.

Besides, there was always morning...and as he had recently discovered, lazy morning sex was fantastic.

He pulled on the pyjama bottoms he wore to bed and climbed underneath the covers. Merlin stripped down and joined him, curling against him and snuffling slightly – adorably – as he got comfortable using Arthur as a human mattress and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

**a/n: this one's short but I sort of had to end it there for it to be coherent. **

**It was my last day in sixth form yesterday. I'll go in for exams but that's it...so I'm feeling a little nostalgic. My school has a tradition on year 13's last day of 'muck up day', where there is a theme and the year 13's get to dress up. We chose Harry Potter, so we all went in dressed in Harry Potter uniform and robes (I was Slytherin), decorated the school like Hogwarts the night before and played a few pranks, then went to lunch at a restaurant as a whole year. It was brilliant fun but it is sad to be leaving.**

**But it **_**does **_**mean that, aside from exams and preparing for university in September, I have more time on my hands to write. So hopefully updates will be somewhat regular again. **

**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them ^_^**


	29. Chapter 29

"All I'm saying is that I think you should take another look at the files. There's definitely something going on."

Matt folded his arms, not looking particularly happy, but he didn't protest. He didn't accept the files, either. Arthur sighed, glancing at his watch. He liked Matt, he really did. He was a good, quiet guy, fantastic at his job, hardworking and there'd never been any issues with him before. They'd gone for drinks a few times with some other colleagues and he was hilarious. But Arthur _really _didn't have time for this. It was his first day back at the office, he needed to catch up on some work and he had a meeting in the afternoon. He'd hoped this would only take a few minutes to straighten out with Matt's help...apparently he wasn't that lucky.

"Arthur," Matt finally answered, voice quiet and even. "I've check, double checked, _triple _checked those damn files. They're perfectly in order. Maybe you made a mistake."

"I made sure," Arthur disputed. "Just _look_ at them, alright? Someone in your department is embezzling funds, Matt. This is serious."

"Are you sure it is someone in finance?" Matt frowned.

Arthur nodded sharply. He'd been working on trying to fix this for a couple of hours now and he was certain it had to be someone in the finance department. He took in Matt's tight expression as the other man shifted slightly, suspicion creeping into his mind.

"Matt," he started quietly. "If I have to take this to Uther, nothing...negative about you will come to light, will it?"

Matt's eyes widened. "_Me_? Christ, no. Arthur, it wasn't me." He looked offended by the implication. "Bloody hell."

"Do you know who it is?"

The dark haired man paused, his gaze flickered downwards for a moment, and Arthur groaned, running a hand over his face in exhaustion. Well, this was a bigger mess than he'd initially thought.

"What a cock up," he grumbled, fixing a stern gaze on Matt. "Who is it?"

"Arthur..."

"Tell me."

"...Jennie."

_Shit_. Jennie Archers, the quiet, soft voiced girl who'd been Jace Brendan's assistant for only a month? Arthur had met her once when she'd delivered him some files. Other than that, he hadn't really bumped into her; she tended to stick to her department, after all. But Jace had told him numerous times how good she was at her job, how sweet she was despite her quiet, shy nature. _She _was the one embezzling from the company? It didn't make sense.

It did make sense that Matt would cover for her, though. Jennie was his niece, after all. It had been by his encouragement that she applied for the job and it was his recommendation that prompted Jace to give her an interview and then the job, despite her not quite having the adequate qualifications. So Arthur understood why Matt would hide the fact that she'd been embezzling.

"Matt..." Arthur sighed, pausing as a woman passed them and waiting until she'd disappeared into her office before continuing. "Do you have _any _idea how much trouble you'd be in if they found out you're covering for your niece?"

"Look, I _know_..."

"Do you have any ideahow much trouble _she's_ in? Aside from the fact that embezzlement is a serious crime and she'd get some serious prison time for it, think of how _Uther_ will react."

"Uther will understand."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at that. Uther was a good employer, granted, and tended to do what was best for the people who worked for the company. But if he found out someone was stealing money from his company? Arthur knew Uther would be ruthless and far from forgiving.

"Arthur," Matt grabbed his arm when he moved to leave. "She's a good girl, honestly, she is."

"She's a thief."

Matt blanched at that. "I know she's made a mistake but she's going through a rough time. She only gave birth to her third child three months ago and her bloke's just up and left her on her own. She's supporting herself and her kids and trying to afford the mortgage on her house on the shit pay she's getting in this job. Just...she needs the money, Arthur. She needs to pay the mortgage and feed her kids. Can't you understand that?"

"I can understand that, Matt. But she's committed a major crime and stolen from the company." Arthur ran a hand through his hair, frowning. "You know I don't have much choice."

"Can't we just...overlook this?" Matt asked, hopeful. "I'll speak to her, okay? She won't take another penny that she hasn't earned ever again. Please."

Arthur paused, feeling sick. He knew what he had to do but he hated himself for it and he resented Matt for putting him in this position. But he had little choice and, really, it was lucky _he _caught it and not Uther. Uther wouldn't hesitate and he'd be a lot harsher.

"Matt, try and look at this from my perspective. I'm sorry she is in terrible circumstances and I understand why she's done it, but the fact that she is capable of stealing from the company means she is a risk and we can't keep her on. I'll ensure that she has a good severance check, Matt."

Matt gave him a sullen look. "Gee, thanks, Arthur! And what about when that runs out?"

"I'll try and help out, Matt," Arthur promised.

Matt didn't look impressed and Arthur couldn't blame him. He felt like a piece of shit. But what else could he do? He needed to do what was best for the company. Having a potential risk as an employee wouldn't be a wise course of action. If she stole again and was found out, both she and Arthur would get in a whole heap of trouble. The best he could do was make sure Matt kept his job and get her a brilliant severance check, which is much more than she would get normally.

"I'm sorry, Matt."

Matt didn't say anything and he didn't meet Arthur's gaze. He felt that horrible, hollow feeling in his stomach of letting down a friend and took a step back from Matt's station, knowing it was a lost cause.

His phone rang in his pocket in the elevator back to his own floor and he glanced at the screen. _Leon_ calling.

Arthur groaned. Just what he needed: the reminder of another friend he'd let down by being a tosser. At least with Matt he didn't have much of an option. With Leon he'd just been drunk and cruel. But Leon was his best friend and he was finally answering Arthur's many messages, which was a step in the right direction. Arthur had a lot of making up to do.

"Hey, Leon."

"Arthur," Leon's voice was tight, not giving much away, and vastly different from his usual cheerful greeting.

"Thanks for calling," Arthur gestured for Leah to leave the elevator first before heading to his own office. "I'm sorry, Leon. I was a wanker and I said some shit things."

"It's fine," Leon assured him. "Listen bud, can we meet up later?"

Arthur paused. Something was wrong with Leon, he could tell from his tone. Worry filled him as he sat at his desk.

"Sure," he agreed. "Are you alright?"

Leon sighed, drawn out and tired. "I'm not sure. I just need someone to talk to."

"Alright. You know I'm here for you."

Leon sounded relieved as they agreed to meet up once Arthur finished work. Arthur hung up feeling slightly relieved that Leon wasn't still furious with him but worried about his friend. It was rare that Leon was upset or needed help.

The phone on Arthur's desk rang, the red light telling him it was his assistant transferring a call from a client, and he straightened his back. He had work to do.

**0**

Morgana and Merlin were already seated in one corner of the cafe with iced coffees when Arthur arrived. He'd arranged to meet with them both for lunch but work had run over a little. Merlin glanced up and offered a bright grin in greeting before returning to his conversation with Morgana.

Arthur ordered an iced tea and joined them. Morgana was telling Merlin about her current project with CYJ. With smaller contracts, she let employees work together to design the buildings and tended to simply oversee the project, but designing the new CYJ building was her biggest deal yet and he knew it meant a lot to her, so she was designing it with the aid of her team. She withdrew a large sketch pad from her bag and flipped through the pages, showing them some of her initial designs she'd sketched out.

"These are good," Merlin commented, a small, happy smile on his face. "_Really _good."

Morgana grinned at the praise, face lighting up as she tucked dark hair behind her ear. "I'm thinking of adding..." She went off into a tirade that Arthur barely understood – something about structural integrity – but Merlin nodded as he listened, occasionally adding an idea of his own.

"You ever think of going into architecture, Merlin?" Morgana asked after a while.

Merlin shook his head. "Nah, not really. My ex fiancé was an architect and it has always interested me, but I don't know enough."

"You know more than me," Arthur pointed out, linking their hands together on Merlin's knee.

"That's not difficult," he teased.

Morgana smiled as she looked at their hands and asked, "So, what's it like living together?"

Merlin glanced at him and they shared a smile. Merlin had moved in two weeks ago and it was odd how easy it had been. His partner had been a little hesitant at first, clearly expecting problems with making space for Merlin's things, but the whole thing had been smooth. The oddness of actually living with someone else had worn off after about a week, replaced by a _good _feeling. It was nice to spend every night in the same bed, to wake up with Merlin, to go through their morning rituals together. It was weird cooking for someone else but it was pleasant to share chores and it was probably one of the best feelings Arthur had ever had to see Merlin off to work or to come home from the office to find Merlin there.

"It's good," Arthur said quietly and Merlin winked at him.

"Ugh," Morgana rolled her eyes despite the smile on her lips. "You're still in the honeymoon phase of living together, aren't you? Wait until the arguments over washing up or not using coasters start."

They both hissed in a breath at the same time.

"What?"

"Never put a mug on the table without using a coaster," Arthur warned her.

"Never," Merlin agreed.

She stared at them for a moment before muttering, "_Ugh_." She got to her feet to order another coffee.

"So," Merlin leaned back in his seat and propped his chin on his fist, facing Arthur. "How was work?"

Arthur grimaced. "Certainly not dull."

"You didn't have any bother from Uther, did you?" Merlin asked.

"No," Arthur reassured him with a shake of his head. "No, it was just a rough day, you know? How about you?"

"I imagine selling coffee for a couple of hours is nowhere near exciting as your day."

"I still want to know."

Merlin shrugged, stirring his iced coffee before licking the foam off the spoon. "It was the usual. Rude customers who are late for work, groups of teenagers who have nothing better to do than to take up space and make noise, students who are probably only alive due to the caffeine kicks we provide. Nothing interesting."

"Maybe I should pop in tomorrow," Arthur offered with a grin. "Liven things up a bit."

Merlin snorted. "Cherry firing me would definitely liven things up, that's for sure."

"Okay," Arthur sat up, glancing at his partner. "Explain."

Merlin shrugged. "She doesn't like personal life interfering with work, which is fair enough, I suppose."

"Do you think she'd really fire you?"

"Not normally, no. But I admit I've been abusing that lately, so, yeah, she probably will fire my ass."

Arthur sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "You've already lost one job over me."

"Uh, _no_, I've already lost one job because of _me_, and I'd be losing this one over _me_, too. My decisions, my actions, my consequences. Don't do that annoying thing of blaming yourself for shit. Unless you went directly to my boss and said in no uncertain terms that they fire me, then it wasn't your fault." Merlin glanced at him before rolling his eyes. "I'll be fine, Arthur. I'll just keep my head down at work for a while. Cherry'll forgive me."

"Alright," Arthur held his hands up. "Just let me know if you need any help with cash or whatever."

His only response was a scoff from Merlin.

**0**

Leon's flat wasn't that far from Arthur's and far more fancy. His best friend had a love for all the best gadgets – things that Arthur struggled to get on with most of the time; beyond his knowledge of computers and phones, he knew little about the latest technology – and his flat reflected that, all gleaming gadgets, chrome surfaces and an almost futuristic, sci fi feel to it. He even had a life size cardboard cutout of Seven of Nine his bedroom though, being a twenty five year old respectable businessman, of course, he'd never admit it and he'd kill Arthur if he ever told anyone.

"What's up, buddy?" Arthur asked as Leon grabbed a beer from the fridge. He offered Arthur one but he declined, opting instead for some coffee.

"Dad's retiring in a month."

Arthur raised his eyebrows at that. Leon's father wasn't that old, after all, and he'd expected him to stay for another decade at least. He loved his work and he was protective of his company. His own father was likely to stay working till the day his heart stopped beating...and probably from the afterlife, too, knowing him. But Leon's dad did have a tidy enough pension that he could retire now and live rather comfortably for the rest of his years. _Really _comfortably. Filthy rich comfortably.

"That means you'll be taking over," Arthur remarked.

Leon raised his eyebrows. "So you _do _pay attention to other people's lives."

Arthur winced. "Leon, I'm sorry about that night. I was a complete shit and you didn't deserve it."

"You're damn right I didn't deserve it," Leon agreed. "But you're my best mate, Arthur, so let's just pretend it never happened, alright? You're forgiven, you complete shit."

Arthur grinned, opening the French doors onto the balcony. Leon's flat was pretty high up and the balcony overlooked a vast portion of the city. It was a good view and Arthur leaned against the railing, cradling the hot mug between his palms.

"So," he raised an eyebrow at Leon as the other man joined him. "Congratulations."

Leon smiled but it was tight and his voice was quiet as he answered, "Thanks."

"What is it?" Arthur frowned.

"It's...sooner than I expected. I thought the old man had a good decade or so left in him when it comes to work. I didn't anticipate to be taking over so soon. I'm not...I'm not _ready_."

"Sure you are," Arthur reassured him with a small smile. "Leon, you're damn good at what you do. You've been ready to take over for a long while now and you'll do great. Besides, you know your dad'll still be on hand if you do feel out of your depth."

"Yeah," Leon answered shakily. "Yeah, I know. I just..." he glanced at Arthur. "You trust me, right?"

Arthur blinked at the unexpected question. "Implicitly." A bad feeling twisted in his gut. "What's going on?"

Leon took a long drink from his bottle, a bitter look on his face. "When you take over Pendragon Corps., we'd be rivals."

"Yeah...so? Uther and Douglas are technically rivals, but they're good friends."

"Oh, yeah, the _best_."

Arthur felt a shadow of worry at the coldness in Leon's words and turned to his friend. "Okay, dude, what's going on?"

Leon exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face as he slouched against the railing, gazing down at the city below. "Dad spoke to me last night. When you take over Pendragon Corps., he..." Leon shook his head. "He wants me to utilise our friendship." He gestured between them. "Wants me to try and use you to ruin Uther's business from the inside."

"Oh," Arthur mouthed, shocked. "Whoa. Okay."

_Well, fuck me sideways, that was unexpected_.

"I wouldn't," Leon's quick to say.

"I know."

"I'd do anything for dad, but not this. You're my best mate, I wouldn't betray you like that, I just...I just _wouldn't_."

"Leon," Arthur repeated, louder. "_I know_. I know you wouldn't, okay?"

Because Leon wouldn't. He was kind and patient and he would do anything to help anybody, but he wouldn't betray Arthur. He was unwaveringly loyal and had backed Arthur for the duration of their friendship. Arthur knew Leon wouldn't desert him and he wouldn't betray him, not even for his father.

Fundamentally, Leon was a _good _man.

Arthur raised his cup in a toast. "To arsehole fathers."

Leon chuckled grimly and clicked his bottle against the mug. "To arsehole fathers," he agreed. "Cheers."

**0**

He closed his laptop, stretching. Glancing at his clock, he saw it was closing in on one in the morning. Definitely time to head to bed. He straightened up his desk a moment, shuffling some files and two books into a neat pile.

An envelope dropped onto the floor and he picked it up, sliding the card out. The luxurious subtle but fancy material and theme of the invitation was familiar and he realised he'd forgotten all about the Spencers' ball. It was this weekend and he hadn't even RSVP'd – although, knowing Uther, he would have confirmed Arthur's attendance for him...with a plus one. A _female _plus one.

Arthur knew _exactly _who he wanted to take.

He finished straightening up his desk and clicked off the light as he left his office. The flat was dark except for pale, flickering light coming from the living room. Arthur headed that way instead of towards the bedroom.

The TV was on but very quiet, some old, badly made horror movie playing on a channel that broadcast all night. Arthur watched the actor in a terribly made monster costume rip into a screaming girl, ketchup smearing all over the walls, before looking towards the sofa. Merlin was curled up, tucked into himself to keep warm, and fast asleep.

Smiling, he pried the remote from Merlin's hand and turned off the TV before crouching beside his boyfriend, shaking his shoulder. Merlin stirred slightly, moaning in obvious annoyance, but didn't open his eyes. Arthur shook his harder.

"Arthur?" Merlin's eyes opened slightly as he yawned. "_What_?"

"Come to bed, love."

Merlin peered at his surroundings, realised that he was still on the sofa and nodded, sitting upright. He stretched, spine straightening with a pop that made Arthur grimace. They headed to the bedroom together and Arthur changed into pyjama bottoms whereas Merlin simply stripped down to his boxers before they climbed into bed.

"Are you busy Saturday?" Arthur asked, stroking his partner's arm as Merlin curled against him, head resting on his chest.

"I have work in the morning," he answered sleepily. "Why?"

"There's this thing, the Spencers' annual ball...I've attended them since I turned eighteen and they're pretty fun. I've been invited to it on Saturday night. I want you to be my plus one."

Merlin paused. "Are you sure? I mean, what with your dad..."

Arthur stroked his thumb over Merlin's lower lip, cutting him off. "I'm sure." He smiled. "It's about time people got to meet my partner."

"Alright," Merlin smiled as he kissed his thumb playfully. "Of course I'll go."

Arthur leaned down, kissing his forehead. "Thank you."

**a/n: sorry for the delay. My exams are finally over (I've officially finished my A levels – yay!) and since uni doesn't start until mid September, I have a long summer. On the one hand, it means I'm free to write...on the other hand, boredom is already setting in. I've applied for some jobs, so hopefully if I get a summer job, I won't be doing **_**nothing**_**.**

**I struggled to finish this chapter, but the **_**Iron Man**_** soundtracks definitely helped. I'm hoping to update again sometime in the following week since I have chapter 30 planned out.**

**For those of you who don't follow me on tumblr, I have some news about **_**Fire **_**being made into a podfic. The awesome rowanbrandybuck is making **_**Fire **_**into a podfic and the first two chapters have been recorded and are available to listen to now. The link to listen to them are under **_**Fire **_**by rowanbrandybuck over on archiveofourown, so go check them out if you're interested – she's doing a fantastic job.**

**Thanks for reviewing, they really help with motivation and with improving ^_^**


	30. Chapter 30

_Uther_.

Arthur's thumb hovered over the _accept call_ option on his phone. He'd skilfully avoided speaking directly to his father recently, using excessive amount of work as an excuse. He'd mostly used Ni to deliver any messages to Uther.

He knew that his father would ask if he was bringing as a plus one and, if so, _who_. He couldn't really lie, so it was easier to avoid the conversation altogether. After all, in a controlled environment of a public event, Uther could hardly make a fuss when he discovered that Arthur was bringing Merlin.

Perhaps it wasn't the best plan, but it would do.

He glanced up when he heard the bedroom door open and couldn't help the smile that found its way onto his face. He'd bought a new tux for the ball, a simple but subtly elegant black with white shirt ensemble that had cost an admittedly obscene amount of money. Merlin had gone to Morgana for fashion advice (much to her delight) and rented for the night a sleek, form fitting tuxedo with a red bowtie which was, for the Spencers' annual event, a little different from the usual black-and-white the men wore, but suited Merlin completely.

Looking at him now, the tux fitting his lean frame perfectly and setting off his pale skin, sharp cheekbones and mop of dark hair, Arthur felt that fluttery feeling in his chest, wondering, cliché as it was, what good deed he'd done to have a man like Merlin as his partner. He glanced down at his phone and pressed the _cancel_ button before pocketing the device.

"So," Merlin approached, shoving his hands into his pockets. "How do I look?"

"Almost perfect."

Merlin raised an eyebrow at that and Arthur grinned, reaching out to touch the other man's hair. He'd combed it so it was neat but Arthur ruffled it until it was its usual slightly messy state. A stray, overgrown lock dropped over his forehead and Arthur brushed it back with his fingers.

"It looks better like this," he murmured. "Trust me."

Merlin grinned. "I feel a tad like James Bond."

"You know, I used to have fantasies about James Bond."

"Oh, really?" Merlin hooked his index fingers into Arthur's cummerbund, pulling him closer until their bodies were just touching.

"Really."

He closed the gap between their lips, breathing in the clean, delicious scent of Merlin's aftershave. How he was lucky enough to have Merlin on his arm tonight, he had no idea, but he still wasn't over the happy, warm, honeymoon phase of living with Merlin. He hoped he never would be.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Merlin asked, blue eyes sparkling. "Just say the word if you don't. I mean, if you do, I won't speak to you for a week since I've spent the better part of this month's wages on renting this damn thing, but still, say the word."

"I'm sure. Like I said, it's about time people met you." He linked their fingers together, gazing at his partner. "I'm serious about this, Merlin, about _you_. Living together is just the first step. I plan on spending my life with you and if I continue being a lucky son of a bitch, you feel the same way. I love you and it's time that Uther and everyone else see that."

Merlin pulled him into another kiss, fitting their mouths and bodies together. They were interrupted by Arthur's phone vibrating in his pocket and he sighed before pulling away, retrieving his mobile. Uther's name flashed up on the screen. He glanced up at Merlin's open, encouraging smile before accepting the call.

"Father."

"Arthur," Uther greeted amiably. "I trust you'll be attending tonight."

"Yes."

"I'll send round a car for you and..."

It was obvious Uther was asking a question, intending to find out who Arthur planned on bringing to the Spencers'.

"Thank you. I'll see you there." He hung up and looked at Merlin. "He's sending a car."

"A fancy car? Nice." He tilted his head. "Why couldn't we just take your car?"

"Because he's Uther Pendragon, that's why."

Merlin snorted at that but didn't comment.

Knowing Uther, he wasn't _sending_ a car, he'd already _sent _it, and was simply informing Arthur about it.

"Let's go," he murmured.

Merlin linked their hands as they descended in the elevator and bumped their shoulders together, glancing at him. "For the record, I do feel the same."

Arthur smiled.

**0**

The Spencers' had two homes; an apartment in the city where they spent most of their month for work and such, and a rural estate about an hour or so out from the city. It was the latter where they hosted the annual ball.

It wasn't gated; rather, there was an obscure turn off from a back road that opened onto a long driveway, leading up through gorgeous, perfectly maintained front gardens. At the front of the house was a large fountain with the drive circling around it; a valet stood at the opening, waiting for the guests to leave their vehicles in their care to be parked. The driver – one Arthur didn't recognise, which led him to believe that there'd been another shift in employment from Uther – waved the valet aside and drove around the fountain, parking in front of the building.

Calling it a _house_ would belittle it. It was a large, Edwardian style estate, something that wouldn't look out of place in a period drama. It was the Spencers family estate and had been for generations. It was stunning, surrounded by equally beautiful gardens, and the interior was decorated with humble elegance.

The chauffeur held the door open for them and Arthur thanked him, passing him a tip. He tapped his hat in a thank you and climbed back in, driving off to allow the next car to pull up. Arthur looked up at the building for a moment, but quickly glanced away in favour of looking at his companion.

He'd been attending the ball since he was eighteen and was used to the sheer _size_ and beauty of the estate. But Merlin was stood, neck craned, eyes wide with wonder as he took in every minute detail of the place. Arthur smiled, placing a hand on his partner's waist as he leaned in.

"You should see inside," he murmured.

Merlin looked at him, eyebrows raised. "When you said they were wealthy, I thought you meant rich like _you_, not rich like bloody aristocrats."

Arthur chuckled. "Clarence and Millie Spencers aren't aristocrats. They're the product of generations of family wealth on Clarence's side and business earned wealth on Millie's."

"Your father has some pretty high society contacts, huh?"

"And you think I don't?" Arthur smiled.

The look on Merlin's face made him laugh out loud and he placed his hand flat on the small of his back, urging his partner up the steps to the two people stood at the doors, the man dressed in dress trousers, a red waistcoat over his white shirt and a red cap and the woman dressed in a white shirt, red waistcoat, black skirt and tidy black heels, her dark hair in a plait beneath her red cap. Arthur didn't recognise the woman – her badge told him she was named 'Susan' – but the man he recognised. He'd been on the door every year since Arthur had been attending the event – almost eight years now – and was a fond employee of the Spencers.

"Alan," he greeted, holding out his hand.

"Arthur," he shook his hand heartily with a grin. "Good to see you. Not with your father?"

Arthur shook his head. "I was invited separately this year."

Brown eyes lit up. "I knew you'd do well enough on your own. Who's your companion?"

"This is Merlin," Arthur introduced them. "My partner."

Alan didn't look surprised. He simply offered Merlin a friendly smile and they shook hands. Susan cleared her throat, a polite but cool smile on her face as she stepped smoothly forward, effectively breaking up the interaction.

"Do you have an invitation, sir?"

Alan offered Arthur a sly wink and waved her aside. "Go on through."

Arthur thanked him with a slap on the shoulder as they entered the building, ignoring Susan's affronted expression. Merlin gazed around, drinking in every detail of the house as they were guided towards the hall. When he'd inherited the estate, Clarence had stripped the estate back down to basics and redecorated with his new wife, keeping the heirlooms but selling most of the other stuff and donating the money to charity. The new style of the house lacked the extravagance a lot of these type of homes show off, instead keeping it humble, but Arthur realised by Merlin's expression that it was still more opulent than anything he'd ever seen in real life. It made his heart melt.

They entered a medium sized hall filled with people dressed in fancy dresses and tuxedos. Arthur kept his hand on Merlin's back as they headed into the crowd; Merlin plucked two chutes of champagne off an offered tray and handed one to him.

"This is...different," Merlin turned to him, a look of befuddlement on his face.

"Nervous?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded.

"It'll be fine," Arthur assured him. "Most of them...they're not like my father, trust me. They'll love you. How can they not?"

Merlin smiled and leaned in close, but the blissful expression dropped as he glanced over Arthur's shoulder.

"Uther alert," he sighed.

Arthur turned to see Uther walking quickly towards them, a controlled but clearly unhappy expression on his face. Merlin stepped closer, subtly linking hands with Arthur and he squeezed it gently, thankful for the support. But Uther barely deigned to glance at Merlin before gripping Arthur's upper arm tightly, pulling him sharply to face him.

"What the _hell _are you doing?" he demanded quietly, seething anger behind every word.

"I was invited," Arthur replied insolently.

The vein in Uther's temple throbbed. "Are you trying to humiliate me? Why are you so _insubordinate_?"

"_Arthur_, darling!"

Both men turned towards the woman walking towards them on high heels, fixed smiles on their faces. Uther's harsh grip on his arm relaxed into a friendly, affectionate touch and Arthur snorted. This – putting up a facade in public to hide the rows that went on behind closed doors – wasn't exactly new.

A woman in her mid fifties with dyed auburn hair swept back into an elegant twist, plain features lined with age and dark blue eyes wearing a floor length, gold gown stopped in front of them, a warm smile on her face.

"Arthur," she greeted, resting her hands on his elbows. "I'm so glad you could make it. How are you?"

"I'm alright, thank you, Mrs Spencers," he leaned in, kissing both her cheeks. "You look beautiful."

"Millie," she corrected him. "Thank you, dear. Is this your plus one?"

Arthur pulled Merlin closer and nodded. "This is my partner, Merlin."

"Partner?" she smiled. "It's about time you settled down, Arthur." She held out her hand. "Lovely to meet you, Merlin. It's nice to see Arthur has good taste."

Merlin bent, kissing her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Spencers."

She patted his arm fondly and turned to Uther. "Ah, Uther, thank you for attending. I believe my husband would love to speak with you. He's with Rupert and Grace."

Uther offered another tense smile and left them to it, walking stiffly away.

"I'm so glad you could come, Arthur," Millie said. "My husband didn't need much convincing to invite you as a businessman yourself rather than with your father. You may not have taken over from Uther yet, but you've got a good head for business on those shoulders."

"Thank you, Millie."

"And by the way," she leaned in close, a wicked smile on her face. "Your boyfriend is adorable. I approve."

Arthur laughed. If he was worried about anyone disapproving, it certainly wasn't Millie Spencers. She was different from a lot of the people his father associated with. Maybe because she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She'd been an only child, daughter of a single mum who worked as the editor of a local newspaper. She'd gone to university, however, finished her masters in business and economics, and started up her own business from a loan in the bank. She'd met her husband when she was twenty five and they'd married when she was thirty six. In that eleven years, she refused to let his wealth carry her, instead contributing her own wages to the relationship and working hard until her business was earning a steady flow of income. Only when she was earning a pretty hefty sum of money herself did they marry.

She was humble, kind and almost motherly, but wickedly hilarious and she had a sharp tongue when needs be. She didn't suffer fools and she'd always let her guests know if they were being out of turn.

The best term for her is 'wonderful'.

"Right," she smoothed down her gown. "I suppose it's time to shepherd them all into the ball room, don't you? You and your partner are on a table with me, my dear. I'll see you in there."

She disappeared into the crowd of people and Merlin turned to him, gently squeezing his wrist.

"Are you alright?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. My father won't make much of a scene, not here."

"Hmm," Merlin sounded dubious, but he switched topic. "She's lovely."

Arthur smiled. "Yeah, she is. She's one of the few associates of Uther's I can tolerate."

"I take it we're in for an interesting evening, then?"

"To put it mildly, yes."

Merlin grinned. "Bring it on."

They were herded into the ball room. It was large and likely the most ornate room in the whole building. The floor was white marble effect, the walls pale with gold embellishments and gilded mirrors with a sloped white ceiling and a gold and crystal chandelier. Heavy red curtains were pulled back to expose French doors leading out to a marquee. A large area was empty for dancing, with a stage on one side that was set up for a band and large, circular dining tables on the other side.

They took their seats at the head table, finding the seat with a card proclaiming Arthur's name and the one next to it marked for his plus one. Merlin gazed at the series of cutlery with raised eyebrows and Arthur smiled.

"Do you feel a tad _Pretty Woman_?"

Merlin slid him a glance. "What?"

"You've never seen _Pretty Woman_?"

"Nope. I actually have a dick."

"Oh, I know," Arthur rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. "Don't worry. You won't use the fancy stuff – nobody does. It's just for show. To impress the likes of my father, you know?"

Merlin visibly relaxed at that and Arthur rested his hand on his partner's knee, glancing around the table now everyone was seated. They were on a table with Millie, Clarence and their adopted daughter, Martha, Garrett and Lynn Earnshaw, Uther, Pierre Dowling, a woman he didn't know and Hugo Marshall...but the seat to Arthur's left was vacant.

"Uther," Pierre leaned forward to be heard over the noise of music and various conversations. "I hear old Douglas has retired."

Uther nodded. "Yes. His son will be taking over at the end of the month."

"Leon?" Clarence said. "He's a good boy. Smart head for business on his shoulders. He'll do well."

"Much like your son," Garrett commented, nodding towards Arthur. "You've a keen businessman on your hands, Uther. He'll do brilliantly when he's given the chance. You must be proud."

"I am," Uther agreed, and there was genuine pride in his eyes when he looked at his son. "Incredibly proud. He's a son a father can be truly proud of."

"Yes, he's proud of both his children, aren't you, father?"

Arthur looked up in surprise as Morgana reached the table, clothed in a simple floor length, fitted dark green gown, her black hair in a plaited chignon. He stood after a second and Merlin followed suit. She kissed Arthur's cheek before hugging Merlin warmly, offering a sly wink as she sat down in the vacant seat.

"Morgana," Uther greeted, a pleasant expression on his face. "You didn't tell me you would be attending."

"Millie invited me," Morgana responded with a sweet smile. "Unfortunately, my plus one could not attend this evening. Thank you, Millie. It's lovely to see you."

"You too, dear," Millie said before looking to Uther. "Morgana, too, has a fine eye for business. Her company is doing well. I thought it would be imprudent not to invite a bright young lady like your daughter."

"Thank you, Amelia," Uther answered neutrally, ignoring the woman's wince at the use of her full name. Uther never used the nickname she insisted everyone call her. "And, yes, of course I am proud of my Morgana, too. She's done very well for herself."

"Thank you, daddy."

Uther's expression cooled at the deliberate use of the endearment she hadn't used in a decade but he didn't comment. A moment of silence passed before the woman Arthur didn't know leaned forward, green eyes bright as she looked at Uther.

"It's all in the parenting," she remarked. "You must be a wonderful parent."

Morgana opened her mouth to reply but Arthur kicked her ankle under the table, silencing her. Uther glanced at his offspring before smiling at the woman.

"Thank you, Diane," he answered. "I like to think I've done my best with them."

She nodded energetically. "It must have been hard, raising two children as a widowed father. You've done brilliantly..."

They continued talking, Uther clearly preening under Diane's flirtations, and after a moment, the rest of the table initiated conversations, leaving Uther and Diane to it.

Once everyone else was busy talking, Arthur leaned in to Morgana to speak quietly.

"Easy," he warned.

"I didn't come here to wind him up or cause a scene," she promised, looking suitably sheepish. "He just winds me up."

"I know, but just ignore him. We're not here for trouble with Uther."

She nodded before gesturing towards Merlin with a sly smile. "Bold move."

"I took a leaf out of your book," he grinned. "Besides, it's about time I went public and let people meet him."

"Bless," she nudged him in the ribs. "My baby brother's completely besotted."

Arthur glanced towards Merlin. The man in question was talking with Martha and the normally quiet, shy teenager was animated, eyes shining as she laughed at one of Merlin's terrible jokes. They chuckled together, Merlin charming as ever, and Arthur smiled softly.

"Can you blame me?"

"_Ugh_," Morgana rolled her eyes. "Can you please go back to being an emotionally stunted twat? It was less diabetes inducing."

"What's the matter, Morgan? Didn't get to make a child cry today?"

"Piss off."

His response was silenced by the arrival of the appetiser. Arthur dropped his banter with Morgana in favour of leaning close to Merlin.

"They're hors d'oeuvres," he explained, trying to be helpful.

Merlin gave him an unimpressed look. "They're mushroom-polenta diamonds, you uncultured swine."

Morgana burst out laughing, quickly smothering it with a sip of champagne, offering an apologetic look to the rest of the table. Once conversation resumed again, Arthur looked at Merlin in surprise.

"They look like hors d'oeuvres to me," he muttered.

"You need to brush up on your appetisers, posh boy," Merlin teased, grinning. "They're definitely mushroom-polenta diamonds. I made some as part of my three course dinner for my food tech coursework at GCSE."

Arthur's surprise grew. "Food tech? You can cook?"

"Oh, I can cook," Merlin's smile was positively sinful. "My food is to _die _for."

His tone brought wicked thoughts to Arthur's mind, of Merlin cooking for him, aphrodisiacs like oysters...maybe using the dessert as foreplay...maybe Merlin _being _the dessert, complete with whipped cream in bed. He took a hasty sip of champagne, hoping the crisp drink would help him cool down. It was suddenly very warm in the room.

Thankfully, a sudden thought struck him and he quickly forgot the desire.

"Wait, you mean that all this time I've been cooking our meals thinking you can't cook, you've been capable all along?"

Merlin grinned. "Guilty."

"You bastard," he laughed. "You're cooking dinner tomorrow. And I expect it to be glorious."

"Deal."

"So, Arthur," Hugo leaned forward, grey eyes flickering towards Merlin. "Who is your friend?"

_Crunch time_.

Arthur looked at Merlin, at his small, supportive smile, before looking round the table. "This is Merlin, my partner."

"Business partner?" Hugo asked in confusion, glancing towards Uther. "I wasn't aware you were aligning businesses before taking over, Arthur. Interesting move."

"No," Arthur took a deep breath. "He's my life partner, not business partner. He's...Merlin's my boyfriend."

Silence fell over the table for a long time and a cold feeling trickled down Arthur's spine. He didn't care what they thought of him – he _didn't _– but their respect would be helpful for when he took over from Uther. And, no matter what he tried to convince himself, the idea of being laughed at or, worse, facing the same stuff Uther threw at him for being gay from these people would be difficult...more than difficult. Even with Merlin at his side, he wasn't sure he could face it.

What if their scorn caused them to pressure Uther into taking action? What if Uther really did disown him or freeze him out of the company, just as he had done with Morgana? He knew he shouldn't let it terrify him as much as it did. If Uther didn't accept him, he should move on, pick himself up...he didn't need his father or the company. He could follow in Morgana's footsteps.

But...fundamentally, he wanted Uther to accept him, to be a _father_. He wanted to work alongside his father peacefully and eventually take over the company without trouble. He wanted to be liked and respected and...he wanted to be loved by his dad. If forced to make the choice, he'd give that up for Merlin, but...he didn't want to have to choose. It didn't seem fair. To be condemned by his own father for being gay? It _wasn't _fair.

And now he faced that same judgement from the people sat around the table and, once the gossip about Arthur's sexuality spread through the grapevines, pretty much everyone else in this room.

His chest constricted, like a pressure was weighing down on him, suffocating him, and he knew he was starting to panic. He was about ready to bolt the room and get some fresh air when he felt Merlin's hand on his lower thigh, a firm but comforting grip. Just a small touch, but it was like an anchor, grounding him and helping him to relax.

Diane was the first to speak.

"Personally, I find _boyfriend _to be such a commoner term. So twee and childish. Although," she sniffed. "I suppose it is considered _trendy_ to be loose with your sexuality these days. Goodness knows why."

Arthur's hands clenched under the table and he bit his tongue to refrain from making a rude comment. Morgana placed her hand on his shoulder, silently expressing her support, and he took a deep breath.

"I'm not following a trend," he said calmly. "I'm gay. I always have been. Merlin is my partner and he is living with me, which is why I decided it was time people met him."

Uther looked like he'd just witnessed a terrible accident. Though, judging by the tense silence that reigned, a train wreck was pretty much what had just occurred. The man was pale, sat rigid in his chair with his hand clenched tightly around his fork, not even looking at Arthur.

Arthur's heart sank. He'd expected Uther's fury or – in some miraculous turn of events – Uther's show of support, at least in public to avoid looking like a bad father, but not...this. Not the silent, obvious disappointment and horror...like Arthur had committed an unforgivable act.

"I see," Hugo spoke evenly after a moment. "Uther, you kept this very quiet."

Uther looked up then and Arthur could practically see the gears in his brain whirring, trying to come up with an excuse fast, a way to fix this so he came out smelling like roses.

"Arthur requested that I kept it quiet," he finally lied. "Given he is my son, I respected and abided by it."

"I see," Hugo pursed his lips. "Do you support him with it?"

Arthur looked at Uther, waiting to see if his father would support him or throw him under the bus in order to save his own reputation.

Uther met Arthur's eyes and pursed his lips before lowering his gaze, voice quiet but strong.

"No."

Arthur closed his eyes. It didn't hurt, not like it used to, but it was cold, cruel closure. Uther had made his opinion known publicly. There was no chance he'd ever get his father's support or acceptance on the matter of his sexuality and that was clear now. It didn't feel good.

"_Uther_!" Morgana cried. "How _can _you?"

"Morgana," Arthur said quietly. "Leave it."

She looked angry enough to ignore his request, but once she saw his expression she closed her mouth tightly, shaking her head in silent outrage.

"Personally," Millie spoke up then, her tone final. "I find such negative attitudes on the matter to be intolerable. Arthur is a lovely young man and whether he loves women or men is not something to be viewed negatively or to be used against him. Anyone who is ignorant or use sexuality against someone is inexcusable, in my book. Such old fashioned – and please pardon my language here – bullcrap is nonsense."

Arthur looked at her, sheer respect for the women rushing through him. He knew she wouldn't be one of the ones to look at him differently for being gay but to hear her actually speak out in favour of him was wonderful.

Regardless of their opinions on the matter, the other guests at the table fell silent after her declaration. Millie and Clarence Spencers were pretty powerful in their world; to speak out against her or to behave in a way that she finds offensive would be inexcusable.

But it was easy to see how the people placed; Millie and Martha were quiet clearly against homophobia, Clarence, Garrett, Lynn and Pierre were neutral on the matter, and Hugo, Uther and Diane were obviously the intolerant ones. But still, he had support, not just from Morgana and Merlin but from some of the most influential business people in the city and that was good enough.

But it wasn't his father's support.

"So, Merlin," Lynn asked with forced cheer. "I love your bowtie. It's very quirky."

The tips of Merlin's ears went red – he wasn't going for _quirky_ – but he smiled. "Thank you."

"What is it you do?" she asked. "Did you two meet at work?"

"No, I'm..." Merlin glanced at Arthur, uncertain, but at his partner's calm nod continued, "I'm a barista and a bartender."

Diane smothered her rude snicker with her napkin, looking at Uther with false, mocking sympathy. Uther stared down at his half eaten appetiser, quiet and solemn. He'd thrown Arthur under the bus and was now leaving him to deal with it.

_Yeah, __**wonderful **__parenting, _Arthur thought viciously. He'd never truly hated Uther, not until this moment. The anger was almost suffocating in its intensity. He wanted to tear into his father, to make him hurt as much as he did. He wanted revenge, but all he could do was sit quietly and act like the disaster unfolding around them was nothing more than pleasant chit chat.

He wanted to be sick.

The silence was awful. Even the ones neutral on the matter of Arthur being gay were quiet, their expressions telling enough. Sexuality didn't come into their opinion, but economic background _did_. Merlin wasn't rich. He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, nor had he built up wealth. He was poor, a _bartender_ of all things, and that was enough to judge Merlin for being poor, Arthur for settling down with a commoner, and Uther for allowing his son to be so imprudent.

Sometimes Arthur found it hard to believe that society still acted like this, that these people were still so hung up on things like _wealth_ and _sexuality_. He hated these people.

"Ooh," Millie leaned forward, smiling warmly at Merlin. "Could you fix me a Martini? It's my favourite."

"In record time, ma'am," Merlin answered with a grin. "And on the house, too."

Millie laughed. "Oh, you're a delight. I'll have to stop by your bar sometime."

Uther looked horrified at the idea. "Amelia..."

"I did a brief stint of waitressing for a pub in my younger years," Millie ignored him. "I got fired for doing a shot of brandy on the job."

Merlin laughed and the rest of the table, excluding Uther, joined in. Millie settled back in her seat, slowly looking round the table with a _there, that's settled_ look, and the message was received loud and clear.

The others slowly started conversing with one another and the tension eased. Uther remained silent and pale and, after a moment, with a quiet "excuse me", he placed his napkin on his plate and got to his feet, walking stiffly out of the ball room.

Merlin squeezed his knee, turning to him with a serious look. "Are you alright?"

"I hate him," he muttered, hating how choked up he sounded. "I bloody _hate _him."

"Forget him, Arthur," Morgana said softly. "You made a big step and I'm proud of you. Forget Uther, forget this whole thing and have a nice evening."

He snorted. "Easier said than done."

Uther didn't return during the dinner. It was finished rather quickly and, though Millie, Clarence and Lynn initiated conversations with Arthur and Merlin and were friendly and cheerful, the atmosphere just wasn't the same.

Arthur refused to look at his father's vacant chair throughout dinner.

Finally, after coffee and a while of socialising, the band struck up a song and a lot of people got up to dance and socialise with people from the other tables. Merlin got to his feet, dipping into a poorly executed bow with his hand held out elegantly.

"I have two left feet and I'm likely to cause a horrific accident, but let's dance."

Arthur couldn't help the smile that caught his lips. "Alright."

They moved to the floor and Arthur held his hand out for Merlin's hand, gripping it tightly and wrapping his other arm around his partner's waist. Merlin rested his head on his shoulder, sliding his free arm around Arthur's lower back, and they danced in time to the slow music, bodies flush together.

"I love you," Merlin murmured in his ear.

"I know," Arthur squeezed his hand. "I love you too. It's bearable with you here."

"Do you feel any better?"

"I do now," he smiled, feeling Merlin's erection press against him. "Bathroom?"

Merlin grinned wickedly and nodded. "Five minutes."

He watched Merlin disappear from the ball room in search of the bathroom and finished another glass of champagne before following. He glanced around to make sure the corridor was empty and he wasn't seen before slipping into the bathroom.

Merlin was leaning against the long counter with the sink, bowtie already loosened and jacket folded neatly on the sink. Arthur grinned, locking the door and crossing the large bathroom to hook his index fingers in Merlin's cummerbund, pulling their bodies together.

Merlin kissed him hard, pulling his lower lip between his teeth and nibbling in the precise way to make Arthur groan, hands flexing on Merlin's hips.

"Be aggressive," Merlin told him, voice low and rumbling.

With an order as wickedly sinful as that, Arthur knew this was going to be quick. He grinned, meeting Merlin's blue eyes.

"Take your shirt off."

**0**

It _was _quick but Arthur felt relaxed and sated as he straightened up in the mirror. His burning anger was gone, replaced by a satisfied, happy feeling. He smoothed down his hair, splashed cold water on his face in an attempt to get rid of his flushed look and decided there was nothing he could do about his swollen lips.

He turned to Merlin, neatly doing up his bowtie and helping him to tidy up. Once they were satisfied they looked as innocent as possible having just fucked like animals in the bathroom, Arthur peered out of the bathroom to check no one was around before they left together.

They bumped into Millie by the entrance to the ball room.

"Perhaps use one of the guest rooms upstairs next time, boys?" she suggested with a chuckle.

Arthur felt his cheeks grow hot. "Sorry..."

She waved a hand dismissively. "I was your age once, too. Go on in and enjoy yourselves."

Arthur and Merlin shared a grin and hurried into the ball room, once again walking to the floor to dance.

They'd barely danced to one song when Uther walked up to them.

"Arthur," he said tightly. "May I have a word with you outside."

"Fine."

He nodded for Merlin to stay and enjoy himself before following Uther out into the empty marquee. Once they were out of earshot and sight, Uther turned to him, fury etched on every line of his face.

"Are you _trying _to humiliate me?"

For one horrifying moment, Arthur thought Uther knew about his escapades with Merlin in the bathroom – and wouldn't _that _be truly traumatising for all three of them – but then he realised Uther could only be talking about the disaster during dinner.

"Uther," Arthur spoke calmly. "I am gay. I am in a committed relationship. There is nothing wrong with that and it's time people know about me and meet Merlin. I didn't do it to humiliate you."

"Then why didn't you give me _warning_? You dropped it on me in the middle of dinner with my business associates, Arthur. What the hell are you playing at?"

He winced. "Perhaps I did go about it the wrong way," he admitted. "I did go behind your back and I apologise if that made you uncomfortable. But you threw me under the fucking bus to save your own skin in front of those people. You're my _father_ and you deserted me just to preserve your reputation."

"Arthur," Uther said quietly, and the fury was gone, replaced by sad resignation. "You are my son. I meant what I said about being proud of you. As a businessman _and _as a father, I am incredibly and unwaveringly proud of you. I love you and I always will, nothing will change that. You will always be my son. But this isn't something I can accept, nor is it something I can support you with. Anything else, yes, but not your sexuality. I just can't. I'm sorry."

"Uther."

They looked up to see Millie approaching, a solemn expression on her face. Uther straightened, his neutral mask slipping into place, replacing the terrible expression of sadness he'd had before.

"Amelia," he greeted.

"A word, please."

Uther nodded. "Of course." He turned to Arthur. "Go inside and enjoy your evening, son. And...give Merlin my well wishes."

And wasn't that just completely fucked up? If Uther was cruel and hated Merlin on principle, it would make this whole debacle much easier for Arthur. But Uther _liked _Merlin and accepted _him_...it was just the sexual orientation of both Merlin and Arthur that was the problem. And it broke Arthur's heart every single time he heard his father say things like that.

He returned to the ball room, resigned. He knew what had transpired was the final turning point and he knew what he had to do now. He'd balanced between Uther and his own life choices long enough and now he had to make a choice. Uther would never accept or support him.

So he had to decide whether he had to walk away, just as Morgana had, or not.

He saw Merlin by the opposite end of the room, speaking to Diane and Nimueh. He sighed, imagining just what kind of things they were saying to his boyfriend. Everything that could go wrong tonight was and he was just tired now. He felt completely wrung out.

He approached the trio and Nimueh turned with a fixed smile when she saw him closing in. Before he could say anything, however, Diane made a soft '_ooh_' sound, gaze fixed on the doors to the ball room.

_Oh, three guesses as to who just walked in_.

He turned and wasn't surprised to see Mithian walk in. A lot of eyes were on her. It wasn't unusual; Mithian truly was stunning. She wore a floor length, fitted champagne coloured gown with silver lace and pearl embellishments, her hair loose and curly around her shoulders.

"She looks _beautiful_," Diane murmured. "Such a lovely young woman."

Nimueh glanced at Merlin, an ugly twist of a smile on her face. "That's Mithian. Arthur's ex fiancée."

_Jesus_. Arthur rubbed a hand over his face, almost laughing out loud at what a mess this whole thing was. Nimueh was a business associate and good friend of Uther's (who not so secretly hated one another, of course), a gorgeous woman with a real ugly personality. Of course she wouldn't miss the opportunity to try and stir trouble between Arthur and his gay bartender boyfriend.

"Really?" Merlin looked at Arthur with a teasing smile. "I can't _imagine_ what caused the engagement to break off."

Arthur grinned at that. Of course Merlin would take Nimueh's statement with a pinch of salt. He always saw straight through bullshit.

Nimueh and Diane shared a look and hurried off to speak to Mithian, leaving the two men alone.

"It wasn't an official engagement, anything close. Our fathers just hoped we might one day get involved to further their respective business interests. Nothing ever happened between us, we're just good friends."

Merlin smiled. "Okay."

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Are you?" Merlin searched his gaze. Arthur nodded. "Okay."

Arthur linked their hands and they found Millie. She smiled as they approached, finishing her conversation with Mithian and turning to face them.

"I spoke to Uther," she told Arthur. "I told him that his homophobia is doing nothing but putting strain on your relationship and that I'd rather he didn't behave like that in front of me. He...took it reasonably well."

"Thank you, Millie. I really appreciate everything. You've been perfect."

She squeezed his upper arm comfortingly. "Everything will be alright, Arthur. And if Uther does decide to take extreme action, you always have a place working at my company."

Arthur looked at her, surprised but pleased. "Really? That's very kind of you. Thank you."

"You're an intelligent young man, you have a brilliant work ethic and your qualifications are above and beyond satisfactory. We'd be lucky to have you on board." She winked. "I admit, I'm trying to snap you up from beneath Uther."

He laughed and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'll take it into consideration, Millie. Thank you for a wonderful evening."

Merlin shook her hand and expressed the same sentiment.

"Arthur chose well," Millie told him with a smile. "You're a lovely young man. I hope to see you again in the future."

Merlin agreed and they left without bothering to say goodnight to anyone else. However, Morgana met them at the door and, ignoring Arthur's insistence that she stay and enjoy her evening, she wordlessly took his free elbow and the three of them left together.

* * *

**a/n:**

**I am so sorry for the delay. Those of you who follow me on tumblr (link is on my profile) probably know that I took a hiatus due to feeling really low. But I'm feeling a lot better. I did plan on getting this chapter out a little earlier due to feeling like myself again, but on Monday I collapsed while in Skegness for the day for my friend's birthday and was taken to hospital in an ambulance for all sorts of tests. I hit my head hard, too, so it's badly bruised and tender and I've still got mild concussion now...but I finally got this monster of a chapter done!**

**A lot of things happened this chapter, but I hope the most important part came through – Uther's final decision on his stance on Arthur's sexuality.**

**Also, with smut scenes, because of the guidelines on this site I won't include them in the stories here. HOWEVER, I will be posting smut excerpts on my A03 account (under the same name, Sherlocked95), including the bathroom smut hinted at in this chapter, so feel free to look over there sometime in the next few days if you want to check it out.**

**Please review? I appreciate each and every review and feedback is always appreciated. This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful people on tumblr, Grace (baffledminds), Zoe (zappypup) idreamedofit, venemousdeception, rowanbrandybuck, nancywebgoddess and of course, the wonderful Lesty (tazilp) who were really supportive and lovely. Thank you guys.**


	31. Chapter 31

Merlin hadn't been lying; he really could cook.

Arthur hadn't thought Merlin would carry through with his deal to cook them dinner – he himself hadn't intended to remind his partner of it, given he didn't mind cooking – but a few days after the ball, he returned home from work to be blasted with a delicious smell in the flat. He put down his briefcase by the door, toed off his shoes and hung up his jacket before following the smell to the kitchen.

Merlin stood at the kitchen island, pouring wine into two glasses. It was set with plates and cutlery and a bowl of salad in the centre. Arthur wasn't certain what was cooking, but he could definitely detect the smell of garlic and it made his mouth water. His stomach growled, reminding him that, save for a hasty half sandwich at lunch, he hadn't eaten since morning, and he was relieved that he didn't have to cook.

Merlin hadn't noticed him and he didn't speak up, instead crossing the kitchen and slipping his arms around his partner's waist. Merlin paused before setting the bottle of wine down and turning to face Arthur.

"Mm, hello," he greeted, kissing him lazily before pulling back to ask, "How was work?"

Arthur groaned. "Work talk? No."

Merlin grinned. "I figured if I'm going to cook for you like a housewife, I'd give it a go at the dull 'how was your day, sweetie?' shtick too."

"Housewife?" he raised eyebrows. "Pretty emasculating, considering I've been cooking for you every evening so far."

"Darling, I don't think you can call whatever that was _cooking_."

"Ouch," Arthur mimed pulling a knife out of his heart. "I hope your food is as good as your smack talk. Although," he tried to peer into the oven. "It does smell good. What is it?"

"Chicken with roasted garlic, pancetta and rosemary," Merlin answered, turning to the oven. "It's my specialty and it'll be ready in a few minutes."

Arthur noticed a plate of chocolate coated strawberries on the side. They were one of his favourite desserts – something he was sure he'd never mentioned to Merlin – and he reached for one, only for his hand to be smacked sharply by Merlin.

"They're for dessert."

A smile worked its way onto his face. "You're bossy in the kitchen," he accused.

Merlin's cheeks turned red. "Shut up."

"No, no, it's sexy," he couldn't help his grin. "It'd be even sexier if you were wearing those leather trousers."

Merlin's eyes widened at the reminder of the trousers he'd worn to work the same night he got injured by brawling punters and he refused to comment, instead dismissing Arthur with a flick of his hand.

He grinned and left him to it. He cleaned up in the bathroom, splashing cold water over his face to wipe away the weariness brought on by a long day at work, and changed out of his suit into his comfiest jeans and a shirt. When he returned to the kitchen, Merlin was sat at the kitchen island, dishing the food out between them.

"You look tired," Merlin remarked as Arthur sat down.

He glanced up, noting the dark circles beneath his partner's eyes with worry. Arthur had known Merlin had poor sleeping habits – the man himself had told him as much at the start of their relationship – but since living together, the extent of it became worryingly apparent. He only spent a full night in bed about once a week; the rest of the time, he either slipped into bed at two in the morning after a long shift at the bar or had to get up at five for a shift at the coffee shop – sometimes both. But he was too busy during the day to catch up on sleep with power naps. It was obvious Merlin had developed a talent for functioning with little sleep, but it worried Arthur all the same. Last night, due to staff calling in sick, Merlin had been called in for an extra shift at the bar; he hadn't returned home until the early hours and had only slept for two hours before he had to get up for a shift at the coffee shop. Judging by the exhaustion on his face, he hadn't been able to catch up on sleep during the day.

"So do you," he answered, letting his concern show.

Merlin paused for a moment without looking up, but then continued to dish out food without replying. Arthur sighed but didn't press the matter. They'd already argued before about money issues. Arthur didn't want to start one now. They hadn't fought once since living together and he was determined to let the streak continue.

Merlin hadn't cooked an aphrodisiac, but the food was beautiful without it. He really hadn't been kidding when he'd said his food was to die for. Arthur was pretty certain he _had _died and gone to heaven.

"This is amazing," he murmured, taking a sip of wine.

Merlin's expression was smug. "Yep. I haven't cooked in a while, but it's good to know I can still cook a decent meal."

His words triggered a thought, but Arthur was distracted by Merlin's foot rubbing his calf, an affectionate, domestic gesture that made him smile. He'd never thought he'd be one to go for living with another person, but the little things of being in such an intimate relationship – sleeping in the same bed, cooking for one another, even small, fond gestures like Merlin was doing now – made him almost giddy.

"You're definitely cooking from now on," he warned.

Merlin grinned. "Fine. But that means you do the vacuuming."

Arthur wrinkled his nose. He and Merlin shared the household cleaning, but he always convinced Merlin to do the vacuuming. He'd even take cleaning the bathroom over that task. He _hated _vacuuming; the sound of the damn hoover, trying to manoeuvre it into the nooks and crannies of the apartment (it was _supposed_ to be one of those clever ones that made it easy to work it into corners and such and he'd paid a lot of money for it to be _clever_, but of course, that was a load of bullshit and it was the most useless thing he'd ever purchased) and cleaning the damn thing out.

"Fine, we'll share the cooking," he acquiesced. "But you do the vacuuming."

Merlin rolled his eyes – he'd already teased him endlessly about his loathing for vacuuming – but, thankfully, didn't comment this time, instead piercing a piece of chicken on his fork. He didn't pop it in his mouth, however, but looked at Arthur, head tilted, brows drawn together.

"Rough day at work?" he asked. "You look worn out."

Arthur shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"You know," Merlin took a sip of his wine, raising his eyebrows. "You can talk to me about work, Arthur."

He gazed at him for a long moment before looking down at his plate, picking at his salad with his fork. "Someone's embezzling from the company."

Merlin paused mid chew, eyes widening in surprise. He swallowed before answering, "Jesus. That's serious, isn't it?"

Arthur nodded, feeling the ache that had pounded in his temples all day return. He rubbed a hand over his eyes in exhaustion.

As of yet, he hadn't done anything about Jennie Archers. He knew he was taking a risk by stalling and he himself could get in a shit load of trouble if Uther or anyone else found out, but he couldn't help but hesitate. Jennie was a nice girl in a crap situation who had made a bad decision. He didn't want to get her or Matt in trouble.

But Matt's obvious concern when Arthur reviewed some files with him was palpable, raising his suspicions...and, unfortunately, they were correct. Since his talk with Matt, Jennie had stolen money again. Only a tiny amount that might be overlooked by anyone else, but it was stolen money all the same. She'd left him with no choice and he'd said as much to Matt. For one moment, he was certain Matt was going to punch him, but instead the other man gave him a cold look and walked away.

He'd lost a friend, faced a shit decision regarding Jennie and, if Uther found out he'd stalled in making that decision, he could get in a lot of trouble.

Merlin's hand on his wrist tore him out of his morose thoughts and he looked up, meeting his partner's calm blue eyes.

"Talk to me," he said gently.

Arthur nodded and explained the whole situation to him, everything about Jennie and Matt and the risks he was taking. Merlin listened in silence, occasionally nodding, expression thoughtful. When he'd finished, Merlin didn't speak for a long moment, clearly thinking it through as he finished his meal.

Finally, he peered at Arthur from beneath his lashes, his voice uncertain as he asked, "Can't you...I mean, do you _have _to do something?"

That definitely wasn't what he'd been expecting. "What?"

"It sounds like she's in a really bad situation, Arthur. She needs help, not punishment. Can't you...overlook it?"

"Don't be naive, Merlin."

He regretted the words as soon as Merlin's expression darkened. "It just seems to me," he said slowly, "that you're throwing them under the bus rather than risking yourself."

He blanched at that. He knew that Merlin wasn't implying or accusing him of doing the same thing Uther had done to him at the Spencers', but he felt the sting anyway. Merlin must have caught his wince because he sighed, gaze softening.

"I didn't say that to hurt you," he murmured. "It's just...I've been there, Arthur. Barely able to afford bread, let alone any substantial food, not being able to pay rent so at risk of being homeless, unable to pay bills so the electricity and heating system gets cut off - feeling completely helpless. But she has _kids_ too. I can understand why she'd be desperate enough to do it and I...I just think you could be a little softer on her, is all."

"Merlin, Matt spoke to her and she still stole more money afterwards. She's a big risk if we keep her on."

"Alright," he acquiesced. "But maybe you should speak with Uther about it."

"_What_?"

"It's his company, Arthur. He has the right to know what's going on and he can make this easier for you. He'll hate it if he finds out that you kept this from him."

"I don't give a shit."

"Arthur..."

"**No**."

Merlin fell silent at the sharp bite in Arthur's tone, looking down at his empty plate. After a moment, he got to his feet and collected the dishes, stacking them. He opened the dishwasher to load it.

"I can do that," Arthur said quietly. "You cooked."

"It's fine," Merlin's answer was curt.

"Merlin."

"_It's fine_," he repeated sharply, closing the dishwasher with harsh force.

Merlin's waspishness caused anger to shoot like electricity through him and he folded his arms, almost spoiling for a fight. He hadn't intended to ask the question that had been burning in his mind throughout dinner, but his annoyance gave him the push to ask.

"If you can cook, how come there was never any substantial food at your flat?"

Since living with him – and, thus, eating a little more – Merlin had filled out a bit. His stomach no longer concaved, but he was still worryingly skinny. He needed to gain a little more weight before he could be considered healthy but it was a start.

Merlin paused but didn't look up. "What do you mean?"

"It seems odd that you enjoy cooking yet you never ate properly when you lived alone."

Merlin was silent for so long that he was certain the other man wouldn't answer him, but finally he replied, voice quiet. "I used to cook every evening when I lived with Freya. After she died...I couldn't bear to cook...or to eat, really. I ate only when I really had to and normally just cereal since it was easy and...and I guess I slipped into bad eating habits."

Arthur's anger deflated and he sagged against the counter, struck by what Merlin had just admitted. He was hit first by an aching in his chest, a sorrow at what Merlin had been through and just how much his life had been – and still was in some aspects – affected, closely followed by the realisation that Merlin, who'd had these bad eating habits for years rather than inflict grief on himself by cooking, had put it aside and made a massive step by cooking dinner for them tonight. Then the guilt hit, guilt for snapping at him and pushing him just now about the issue.

"Merlin..."

"I need to sleep."

He watched the dark haired man leave the kitchen, feeling like all warmth had been sucked out of his body. So much for their streak of no arguments. And he was the dickwad behind this one.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and listened as he heard the shower start. He finished cleaning up the kitchen before retrieving his mobile from his jacket pocket in the living room, dialling Morgana's number.

He was about to hang up when she replied, sounding rushed.

"Little busy right now, Artie."

"I think me and Merlin just had an argument."

A pause, then, "You think?"

"I've definitely upset him, either way. Badly."

"Like, catastrophic, wailing into a tub of ice cream as he moves out, or just a mild spat?"

He huffed. "Morgana."

"Look, Arthur, I get your emotionally crippled and you don't know shit about normal adult relationships. But I can't be the helpful big sister every minute of the day, okay? Get off the fucking phone, let Merlin cool down a bit and then go man up and apologise. It'll sort itself out, just...stop losing your shit over the slightest spat. Seriously. It isn't cute."

Silence for a few tense seconds as Arthur absorbed that, stunned and a little hurt by the harsh words and the bite in her tone. Morgana could be the biggest bitch at the best of times, but not like this. There was something different – an undercurrent of hurt in her voice, the rambling like she was outpouring anger, he wasn't sure, but he knew something was up.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she snapped.

"Morgs..."

"Nothing," she sighed, her tone softer. "Just...I'm really busy right now, okay? Mordred's screwed up and I'm picking up his slack and...like I said, I'm busy. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

She hung up before he could answer and he stared at his phone, surprised. Right...let Merlin cool off.

He watched mindless drivel on TV for an hour before grabbing has laptop and heading to the bedroom. Merlin was completely out, curled into himself as he slept. Arthur smiled at the sight and changed into pyjama bottoms before slipping under the covers. He often did work in bed and he liked it when Merlin was with him. It was odd how something as ritual and dull as work became pleasant when he had company.

Merlin stirred in his sleep, rolling over and shifting until his body was tucked against Arthur's side, his head on his chest. He threw an arm over his waist, dislodging the laptop.

"Merlin?" he asked. "I can't work when you're..."

"Ungf," Merlin slurred, cracking open sleepy eyes to look at him. "Ssh." He closed his eyes again.

Arthur looked at him with a fond smile and closed the laptop, placing it on the floor. He could catch up tomorrow. He slipped one arm around Merlin's shoulders, holding him close, and shifted down on the bed so he was comfortable. He wasn't tired, but it was nice having Merlin close as he slept.

**0**

He woke to find Merlin's face inches from his own, clearly having just woken himself but blue eyes watching him. Arthur smiled slightly, yawning, but felt a pang of guilt when he recalled their spat the evening prior. Merlin had snuggled last night, but he wasn't certain if he'd be angry with him again now he was more awake and alert.

"Morning," he greeted quietly. "Listen, about last night..."

"We should get a cat."

It took Arthur a moment to assure himself that he _had _heard right. He blinked. "What?"

"A cat," Merlin repeated, voice scratchy from sleep. "We should get one."

Arthur tried to think of an intelligent response, gave up after a few painful seconds, and repeated, "What?"

"I had a dream. That we had one. A cat, I mean."

Arthur stared at him for a full second before erupting into chuckles, shoulders shaking. Merlin's blue eyes lit up and his lips curled into a smile, but he shoved playfully at Arthur's shoulder.

"Shut up," he snorted. "Anyway, I think we should get one."

"_Why_? They're evil and it would involve actually caring for one – feeding it, cleaning the litter tray, all that shit."

"Cats pretty much take care of themselves."

"I hate them."

Merlin pursed his lips before asking, "What about a hamster?"

"A...hamster? We're two adult men, Merlin. Besides, that would involve taking care of it."

"We could get a hamster sitter," he suggested. "Like those people that take care of other people's dogs if they're too busy but...for a hamster."

"If those people even _exist_, then God help them," Arthur shook his head. "You know, I've come to the conclusion that you're pretty crazy when you've just woken up."

"A goldfish?"

"It'd be dead in a day," Arthur rebuked calmly.

"Unicorn?"

"They're fictional, Merlin."

"So, I was a bit of a dick last night."

_Huh_? Arthur could do nothing more than stare at his partner, brain sluggishly trying to catch up.

"I know you're not a morning person," Merlin continued, suddenly serious, "but I have work soon and I want to get this out of the way. I'm sorry I got mad and I pushed you about the work issue. I know you'll do what's right and I shouldn't have gotten all pissed because you snapped at me. So...yeah."

"I – it's fine," Arthur murmured. "I'm sorry too, for being a dick. And...about the whole cooking dinner thing..."

"Nope," Merlin sang, climbing off the bed. "Enough talk about feelings."

Arthur shook his head in fond exasperation at his partner and watched his naked arse as he disappeared into the bathroom. Merlin's brain was like a hurricane in the mornings and it was usually difficult to keep up. He tended to just listen and hum occasionally and wait for Merlin's shifting thoughts to settle down a bit. Unlike Merlin, he definitely _wasn't _too great or alert in the mornings. His capacity for thoughts barely extended beyond _ugh_, _sleep _and _breakfast_.

He dozed for a bit until he felt Merlin's damp towel hit his face and he grumbled as Merlin snickered and left the bedroom. He finally dragged himself out of bed, into the bathroom and into the shower, letting the lingering scent of Merlin's bodywash slap him into alertness.

He had the morning off work, so he dressed in jogging bottoms and an old T-shirt before heading out of the bedroom. Merlin was sat on his usual spot on the sofa, legs curled beneath him, munching on a bowl of cereal as he watched the news. It was routine now – not a day passed that Merlin didn't watch the news as he ate breakfast. Sometimes Arthur joined him, though getting any kind of response from the man while he was watching the news was impossible. He sat in almost eerie silence, moving only to eat the cereal, eyes glued to the TV screen. Arthur was used to it now.

He fixed himself a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal before joining Merlin on the sofa, nudging his thigh with his foot. Merlin didn't even notice. Arthur smiled to himself and tucked into his breakfast, watching the news without really paying attention. He was not a morning person, so trying to watch something as serious as the news before mid morning was a pointless endeavour for him.

Once the news had finished, Arthur gulped the last dregs of his coffee and asked, "What's the plans for today?"

"Work till midday, meeting with Mordred later, but I'm free this evening."

Arthur didn't let his surprise about Mordred show, but he couldn't help but remember when he was with Morgana and Mordred had spoken about Merlin. When did they become good friends? He pushed that thought aside, going back to the reason he'd asked Merlin about his plans.

"I want to take you to the cinema later."

He's resolved to ensure they still went on dates regularly as a couple even though they were living together. Keep the romance alive, and all that.

Merlin smiled over the rim of his mug. "Will you cut a hole in the bottom of the popcorn bucket?"

Arthur looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

"Nothing."

* * *

**a/n: I have an adoration for cute, fluffy Merthur, I hold my hands up to it ^_^**

**don't forget, you can see news about updates, previews, etc, on my tumblr – link is on my profile**

**Thanks for the reviews, I appreciate every single one :)**


	32. Chapter 32

"I hear they're doing a department party to say goodbye to Zoey. Will you be attending? You can bring your new squeeze. Merlin, wasn't it? We're all looking forward to meeting him..."

Arthur tuned out the woman in the elevator with him, though he did tense as Merlin's name caught his attention. It hadn't taken long for the news about Arthur's sexuality and his relationship with Merlin to travel through the grapevine. He'd been through similar conversations with several too nosy people already. On the whole, no one seemed to care, but there were ones that couldn't resist poking their noses in. Especially as it was no secret that Arthur's public coming out had caused a scandal with his father.

When she received no response, the woman paused before switching topic again, babbling on about the upcoming farewell party. Truth be told, Arthur had no idea who she was, or who this _Zoey _was. He'd probably show his face briefly at the party but he had no desire to bring Merlin with him to be gawped at by his colleagues.

The woman had a loud, nasal voice touched by a Mancunian accent and Arthur couldn't quite block out the incessant hum of it. He glanced at the panel above the doors. Two more floors until he reached Uther's office.

Thankfully, the doors slid open and Ben and Mia stepped into the elevator, their presence effectively cutting off the woman. She looked at Arthur, clearly anticipating some kind of response to whatever she'd said, and when he remained silent, she clearly got the message. Ben initiated small talk and, finally, the doors opened onto Uther's floor and Arthur was free.

He was welcomed by the usual vaguely sugary – like candyfloss - scent that Ni sprayed in the air and the low drum of her fingertips moving rapidly over her computer keyboard. It stopped abruptly, however, when she noticed him walking quickly towards the door to Uther's office.

"Mr Pendragon," she blurted, half rising from her chair with wide eyes.

He spared her glance before turning the door handle.

"No, don't -!"

Too late. The door swung open, revealing a scene Arthur had seen a few times before but one that never failed to disgust him. Some woman in a navy wool dress and black blazer, bent slightly backwards over Uther's desk, hair a mess of curls as Uther kissed her, hands grasping at her thighs.

Ni let out a squeak from behind her desk and Arthur knew her face would be vibrant red at seeing her boss and some woman like this. Covering it up and trying to stop Arthur from walking in on it was one thing, but seeing it herself was entirely different.

Arthur himself merely folded his arms, keeping his expression blank. The first time he'd walked in on his father and some woman in Uther's office, he been completely shocked and mortified. That had quickly worn off, however, as his eyes were opened to Uther's antics.

Arthur cleared his throat and, realising they had an audience, the couple jumped apart. The woman's short, blonde curls were familiar but now she didn't have Uther's face attacking her own, Arthur realised why; Diane, the woman who'd flirted with Uther at the Spencers' event. He barely smothered his snort of derision and raised his eyebrows at his father.

"Arthur," he greeted coolly, smoothing down his suit jacket.

"I need to speak with you."

"Can it wait?" Uther glanced at Diane. "I'm a little busy."

"So I saw," Arthur's upper lip curled disgust. He looked at Diane and jerked his chin towards the door, not so subtly encouraging her to _leave_.

Her chin lifted indignantly at his impolite way of asking her to go, but she patted her hair into place, hooked the strap of her bag over her shoulder and slid her hand down Uther's arm suggestively, raising her eyebrows.

"I'll see you later, Uther."

She looked Arthur up and down as she passed, an insolent, mocking smile on her mouth and he knew she was thinking of him and Merlin. He gritted his teeth but didn't give her the satisfaction of responding to her derision. She flicked an equally cool look at Ni as she slipped out of the office.

"Thank you, Ni," Arthur spoke without looking at her. "That'll be all."

She nodded sharply and hurried back to her desk. Arthur stepped fully into his father's office and shut the door forcefully behind him, ignoring Uther's unimpressed look. He started tidying his desk and Arthur crossed the room, bending to pick up the photo frame that had been knocked onto the floor.

He looked down at the photograph of his mother. It was one of his favourites and he'd asked to make a copy, although Uther hadn't been keen on the idea. She was sat on a window seat – Uther had told him she always liked to sit there when it was raining – in an oversized jumper, hair in a sloppy ponytail and her legs curled beneath her, a book on her lap. But she was looking at the camera, a genuine, content smile on her face and she was truly beautiful.

He settled the photo frame back onto the desk, unable to stop the look he gave Uther. His father sighed, sitting down in his chair and gazing at the photo for a long time, an unexpectedly fond look in his eyes before he glanced up at Arthur.

"I can't mourn her forever, Arthur. It isn't fair to expect me to."

"No, but you don't have to fuck around in your office with a different woman every month," he pointed out sharply, folding himself into the chair opposite Uther. "You're making a fool of yourself. A woman like Diane...there's only one thing she's after and it isn't in your trousers."

Uther gave him a cool look and Arthur was reminded that his father was an absolute shark when it came to business. Of course he knew Diane didn't truly fancy him, that she was just working her way in to the company. But Uther wouldn't let her, hell, he'd probably ruin her and he'd have a good shag before he did so.

"You're right," Uther agreed after a moment. "We do need to talk. Arthur, at the ball..."

He held up his hand, silencing him. "Whatever you had to say, you said then. You made yourself very clear. There's nothing more we need to discuss."

"Arthur..."

"Someone's embezzling from the company."

Completely derailed, Uther stared at him for a long moment before silently gesturing for Arthur to continue. He shifted in his seat and got comfortable before meeting his father's gaze, taking a moment to think about how he was going to go about telling Uther about Jennie Archers.

He'd decided that Merlin was, at least a little bit, right. It _was _Uther's company and he had the right to know what was going on. It wasn't fair for Arthur to keep it from him out of what was, admittedly, spite. Plus (and this is what made him ashamed of himself), it'd be easier letting Uther share the responsibility of what to do with Archers.

"Before I start," he finally spoke, leaning forward. "Promise me you'll take into consideration everything I say and let me have a say in what happens."

Uther didn't hesitate before nodding. "Of course."

Arthur settled back in his chair and told Uther everything, making sure to stress about Jennie's circumstances and how dismissing her completely might be a little unfair. Uther listened in silence, expression thoughtful as he considered Arthur's explanation and his defence for Jennie and Matt. When he ran out of things to say, Arthur waited nervously for his father's response, uncertain whether he'd done the right thing or not.

"You should have told me before," Uther rubbed a hand over his mouth, resigned. "But thank you for telling me now."

Arthur nodded. "What will you do?"

"I need to consider this. I'll let you know what I intend before I do anything."

"Thank you."

Arthur stood to leave, but Uther held up his hand, stopping him. Reluctantly, he dropped back into his chair with a sinking feeling in his chest. He knew what Uther wanted to talk about.

"We need to talk, son."

"Alright," he leaned forward, folding his arms. "Why can't you support me, Uther?"

"I want grandchildren."

Arthur snorted. "That's a bullshit excuse and you know it. There are a lot of options for when me and Merlin want kids; adoption, surrogacy..."

Uther regarded him for a moment before sighing. "It's just not something I can accept, Arthur. Or support."

"Then there really is nothing we have to say to each other."

He expected Uther to shout or demand that he stay and listen, but instead his father merely nodded, expression resigned. Arthur got to his feet and left the office without looking back.

**0**

He was one of the last to leave the building and he didn't get home until early evening. He was looking forward to watching crap TV with Merlin for a few hours before going to bed. He was exhausted.

He paused on the threshold of the living room, however; Mordred was sat on the sofa, bottle of beer nestled between his palms. There was a bunch of DVD's littered on the coffee table and an empty pizza box. Mordred glanced away from the action flick he was watching and looked surprised to see Arthur.

"Arthur!" he blinked. "What are you..." he trailed off, evidently realising he was about to ask a stupid question, but Arthur answered anyway.

"I live here."

"Right," Mordred nodded and gestured to the six pack of beer by his feet. "Drink?"

Arthur shook his head. "Where's Merlin?"

"Kitchen," Merlin called. "I'm reheating some pizza. Want some?"

He confirmed that he did and headed into the bedroom, leaving his case by the dresser and changing from his suit into a comfortable pair of jeans and an old football T-shirt from when he'd played goalie for his sixth form football team.

When he returned to the living room, Merlin had joined Mordred on the sofa and they were chowing down on reheated pizza, completely engrossed by the superhero film on TV. Arthur watched some guy in a cape with a hammer and another guy in a red metal suit fend off villains for a moment.

"Hey," Merlin greeted him, pulling him down for a kiss. "How was work?"

"Mm," he murmured against Merlin's mouth. "Dull. I need to finish up something, actually. I'll be done in a bit."

Merlin nodded and handed him a plate of pizza. Arthur carried it and his laptop case through to his office, closing the door against the noise of the television.

He worked for a solid two and a half hours but kept an attentive ear out for the sound of Mordred leaving. When the clock hit midnight, he was certain the bloke must have left already. He finished up and stood, stretching and wincing when his spine cracked at the movement.

The television was still on but the volume was turned low. Arthur approached the sofa, rubbing a hand over his face in an effort to make himself more alert. He was exhausted.

Mordred _was _still in the flat, sat squished at one end of the sofa. Merlin had fallen asleep at some point and was curled up, face pillowed on his arm, his other hand curled loosely off the edge of the sofa, his features slack and peaceful in slumber. Arthur watched him for a moment, smiling at the sight.

It took him a moment to realise that Mordred was also watching Merlin with a similar, fond smile on his face.

It wasn't the first time Arthur had caught looks like that on Mordred's face. When Mordred had first met Merlin, he'd had a sort of thunderstruck expression on his face. When he spoke to Arthur about him, there was definite affection in his gaze. And earlier, he'd watched Merlin talk with something like _hero worship _in his eyes, wide and devoted. If he'd been just a couple of years younger, it wouldn't bother Arthur. He'd laugh it off as a silly crush. But Mordred wasn't that much younger than Merlin, and he had to admit, they were quite similar.

It wasn't that he was jealous. He wasn't that concerned, either. He knew Merlin loved him. Hell, they were living together. But that didn't mean he liked Mordred looking at his partner like that.

"I'm going to get him in bed," Arthur said, hoping Mordred would get the hint.

Mordred blinked, startled, and blushed as he looked away. "Right...yeah." He glanced back at Merlin. "He needs to sleep more. He works too much and too hard."

"I know," Arthur answered curtly. "I'm going to speak to him about it."

"Not right now. He won't like it."

Arthur bit off a sharp remark about Mordred advising him on how to take care of his partner and made a point of looking at the clock.

"It's late," he pointed out. "Would you like a lift home?"

He saw the veiled remark about Mordred's age hit home as a small frown pinched his face.

"No," he answered flatly. "I'll be fine."

Arthur watched Mordred zip up his jacket and finally leave before crouching beside Merlin, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. Merlin stirred, opening his eyes slightly.

"Hmm?" he mumbled.

"You fell asleep. Coming to bed?"

Merlin let Arthur pull him to his feet and stretched. Arthur smiled and started towards the bedroom, but Merlin's hand on his elbow stopped him.

"Arthur," his expression was oddly solemn. "We need to talk."

Arthur studied him for a moment before nodding, taking his hand and pulling him towards the bedroom. Whatever needed to be said could be said in the comfort of their own bed. They changed in silence and slid under the covers, but Merlin immediately shifted close, resting his head on Arthur's stomach. He carded his fingers through Merlin's mop of dark hair, staring at the ceiling as he waited for Merlin to say something.

Finally, Merlin sighed softly and murmured, "I've been offered an interview with another cleaning company."

Arthur's knee jerk reaction was to tell him that he didn't need to get another job but he knew from experience that it wasn't a good idea, so he remained silent and simply waited.

"Except guess where the interview is."

Arthur looked down at him then, worry tightening his gut. "The one bit of the city you can't go."

Merlin nodded, drumming his fingers against Arthur's knee. "Yeah."

"You know...I mean, you know you don't have to go to the interview, right? Don't risk it. You don't need the money."

"Yeah, I know," Merlin sighed. "I just..."

"I know," Arthur reassured him. "I know."

Merlin was silent again and Arthur closed his eyes, willing to let sleep claim him. It had been an exhausting day and he needed to be up early in the morning.

"What's wrong?"

Arthur opened his eyes again, startled by Merlin's soft question. "What?"

"When you came home earlier, you looked tense. Something's happened."

Arthur smiled, tracing Merlin's sharp cheekbone with his fingertips. "You know me so well, you know that?" It made him feel warm inside to know that he'd found someone who knew him so perfectly.

"Mm," was Merlin's noncommittal answer as he waited for Arthur to tell him what had happened.

"I spoke with my father," he explained quietly. "I told him about Jennie. We're going to deal with it together."

Merlin paused, thinking that through before asking hesitantly, "Isn't that good?"

"Yeah, _that_ is, but afterwards..." Arthur sighed. "I asked him why he couldn't support me. He spouted some rubbish about wanting grandkids. I told him that we can adopt or get a surrogate, but he wasn't having any of it...Merlin?"

Merlin had gone tense against him. He didn't answer and Arthur frowned, thinking back over what he'd said to try and work out what had bothered Merlin. Then realisation hit him.

"Oh. You don't want kids."

Merlin shifted, leaning his weight on one elbow as he looked at Arthur, worry obvious in his eyes even in the dark.

"Arthur..."

"No, no, it's fine," Arthur shook his head. "We'll...let's talk about it later, okay? When we're not so tired."

Merlin studied him, brow furrowed, before answering hesitantly, "Alright. Goodnight, Arthur."

He curled up against him again, this time his head on the pillow, and Arthur closed his own eyes, deciding the best option right now was to sleep and not worry about things.

"Night, love."

* * *

**a/n: this chapter is very late and a bit shorter than usual, but I really struggled with it. I've been feeling really low recently due to some pretty nasty homophobic remarks people have sent me on tumblr and also stress about my A Level results.**

**But yesterday I received my results and they were better than I was expecting. I've also got my place in my first choice university, so I'm very relieved! I move out in a month to start university, so updates might be a bit slow again due to having to prepare for that – especially as I have a lot of reading to do to prep for my course. I'm very nervous but excited.**

**I'm really sorry about the delay for this update, but please let me know what you think? I appreciate every single review, so thank you so much to everyone who has offered feedback. **


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